A Hero's Downfall
by NuclearFallout
Summary: The World Eater is defeated, the Dawnguard crisis is over, but a new threat has risen. The hero Tamriel favoured, now its greatest enemy, Vallis the Dragonborn. He has used Auriels Bow to takeover Skyrim and bend Tamriel to it's knees. Now only one can end his tyranny, a man from another time, Miraak the first Dragonborn. But a greater threat is at large, time is running out.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

The breeze was cool, the sky was dark, a small blanket of snow even managed to fall in this part of Skyrim. Nothing much suspicious about the night at all, it was an excellent night for travelling. In this case two people were wandering the cold mountainous plains of North Western Skyrim. A man of legend known as the Dragonborn, Vallis has defeated Alduin and now seeking new adventure he brings this strange woman he found in crypt back to her home. He wore a set of dragonplate armour and the dragon priest mask Nahkriin. Her name was Serana, she was a beautiful red-headed Volkihar Vampire, a pureblood, she also carried an elder scroll. They had been through a lot on their travels, bandits, spiders, Draugr, a Dragon. But now Vallis could see the castle on the horizon, past the abandoned Thalmor fort that he assisted in rescuing Thorald Gray-Mane from. But he now saw it in the distance, past a short length of water. Vallis said out loud,

"wow! How have I not noticed this before?"

Serana rolled her eyes, "the fog gets pretty heavy from time to time, it's been a while so I only assume that is the reason."

"oh."

"hey look over there."

Vallis turned his staring gaze and saw a small fishing boat on a small dock, he seemed fine with it. They both climbed in the old wooden boat and Vallis untied them from the dock, he pulled out a paddle that was in there and since there was only one, it was awkward trying to get over there. The two got in a conversation with Serana asking,

"listen, before we go, before we meet my father."

Vallis stopped paddling for a moment and turned his masked face to Serana.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Serana let out a smile, it was something Vallis came to enjoy even though he saw her pointy vampire teeth.

"Yes I am fine, thank you for asking. I just wanted to say thank you for all you have done. You've come out of your comfort zone to help me, a vampire, when you were ordered to kill people like me. I really appreciate it, it feels good that even though I am lost in this world now, I have a friend."

Vallis took of his mask to let his heavy black hair loose and let out a cheerful,

"yeah! No problem!"

Vallis continued paddling until they reached another dock, Serana got out first while Vallis tied up the boat and ran to catch up with her. He got an eery feeling about this place so he put on his mask. They approached the front gate and the vampires thrall guarding it yelled in excitement,

"Lady Serana has returned, open the gates!"

The large iron bars that separated them from the large stone castle were now slowly rising and Vallis could see the door right in front of him. He took a step forward but Serana placed her hand on his armour and stopped him,

"wait one more second, I don't know how my father will react when he sees a human in there. Just stay close to me, and try not to look to threatening. (sigh) that means remove the mask."

"Oh! Yeah...s..sure."

Vallis took it off and they headed inside the castle. They were given a rude welcoming by a high elf vampire.

"How dare you worthless mortals step foot in...in...L...Lady Serana?! LADY SERANA! You have returned!"

He walked with Serana, she could probably hear his heart beating a mile per minute, she gave her a comforting look of "it's okay" that made him feel a lot better.

He looked upon the room to see two long tables each seat had a vampire sitting on it, the table was riddled with blood and rotten flesh and people who were still alive but were being eaten, the screams made the vampires laugh. The castle was massive, four large archways were in the room and they all lead to somewhere else. As he was examining his position he overheard the high elf vampire known as Vingalmo speak to the crowd.

"Vampires of Volkihars court! Lady Serana has returned! She has the elder scroll!"

He stayed close to Serana, he walked with her passed the other vampires he heard mutters of,

"Who is that mortal with her?"

"I don't know"

"By the gods that...thats the Dragonborn!"

The leader of the clan stood up and started to lift his arms as he made his way down the isle to meet them. He wore a strange set of armour that had a cape and his eyes glowed red with evil. He told Serana in a very happy glad tone,

"Ah my daughter! Returned after all these years, I almost lost all hope. I see that you have my Elder Scroll."

"After all these years the only thing you are happy to see is the scroll? Yes I have the damn scroll."

"But of course I am overwhelmed with joy to see my daughter. Must I say it out loud? I see that you have brought a guest to our home."

Serana looked at him and gave him a smile once more, she told her father.

"This is my rescuer, he saved me and travelled across Skyrim to bring me here. He is also the Dragonborn."

The crowd started to chatter, they were worried of Vallis and his capabilities what he could do and if he wanted to hurt them. Harkon never really cared,

"well Dragonborn what is your name?"

Vallis swallowed, "I...uhm...I am Vallis...w...who are you?"

"I am Harkon, I trust you know what we are by now."

"Vampires."

The man began to pace as he spoke to Vallis, "We are not just any vampires, those creatures you see out in the wilderness are nothing but people infected with a disease, disgusting. A werewolf is more closely related then those infected beings. No, we are an ancient clan of vampires, almost as old as Skyrim itself."

"So...(gulp)...uh..wh..what happens now?"

"Now? Well now boy, you are rewarded. There is but one gift equal to the elder scroll and my daughter, my blood."

"Turn me into a vampire? But I am a werewolf."

Harkons tone went to hate, "yes, I smelt it on you when you first walked in here, My blood will wash out that filth. I see you need more convincing, BEHOLD THE POWER I OFFER YOU!"

Harkon stepped back, he began to turn all red and a black mist was erupting from him. His body was going crazy and in an instant almost he turned into a large grey skinned, bat like, 8 foot tall vampire. He pointed his clawed finger at Vallis,

"CHOOSE NOW! Either you take what I offer you, or you I banish you from these grounds, for this one time only, after that you are fair game."

"I...uh..."

Vallis gave a glance over at Serana, she was still giving him a smile but it seemed more forced then anything else. He did not know what to do. Before him stood Harkon with this much power it made his werewolf look like nothing. Vallis had to take a moment in his thoughts. Join the vampires, have all that power, but sunlight is weakness, and you have to feast on blood.

Vallis took another glance at the creature and smiled at how much power he could sense coming from it, he was so tempted, he almost said no, but an arrogant smile came on his face and he gave Harkon a very menacing look,

"I accept your gift...I want to be a vampire."

"VERY WELL!"

His wings sprouted and he flew right into Vallis and trapped him with his wings as they wrapped around his back, Vallis felt his dagger sharp teeth penetrate his neck and the blood injected into his. His body couldn't handle this yet and he collapsed.

The Dragonborn had become a vampire.

That is how it started for Vallis anyways. Over the next week Vallis would begin to grow more power hungry and retrieved the Oghma Infinium and abused its power to his benefit, he was killing and feasting not because he had to but because he wanted to. Serana wanted no part of this evil at first but Vallis forced her to stay with him until she herself started to turn evil. He did all that Harkon asked for, he retrieved Auriels Bow, but in the end Harkon wanted to kill both Vallis and Serana to fulfill the prophecy. Vallis used the bow to destroy Harkon becoming the new leader of the Volkihar clan. But it wasn't enough, he wished to blot out the sun but he would do it much smarter.

Vallis snuck into the Solitude castle and turned Tullius into a vampire. Now the Imperials of Skyrim were at his control, he turned all the top lieutenants and Legates in the castle into vampires. Over the next two months, Vallis killed the entire Dawnguard, he turned all his friends from the college into vampires, the thieves guild as well and he was working on infiltrating and turning all the Jarls into vampires as well. He wanted to turn the Companions but they would smell him as soon as he stepped foot in Jorrvaskr. He decided when the time was right, he would make them surrender or kill them. His plan was coming full circle, he made his move and killed High Queen Elisif, he declared himself the new High King of Skyrim, General Tullius being a vampire supported him, as did all the vampire Jarls. When it was time his new vampire queen gladly gave up her blood to take out the sun, Vallis used Auriels bow, and Tamriel had gone red. He donned a new look, something that looked more menacing and threatening, ebony mail with his Nightingale hood. Serana also had become more corrupt due to the influence of Vallis, her hair was now black and her dress was black as well, embedded with symbols of Daedric language.

He declared that Skyrim was now separate from the empire, any demands he made they followed. He told the Empire that if they followed his orders, then the sun would return, but he lied. All regular vampires were killed, only purebloods bitten by him or Serana were welcome in this world. He was the new high king of an evil and tyrannical nation. He was rich, he was powerful, he had an army to control at his finger tips. Plenty of thralls to feed on for everyone, this was just the beginning, once Skyrim was completely his and he converted every last citizen into a thrall, then High Rock, then Hammerfell, Morrowind, Valenwood, Elsweyr, he might stay away from Black Marsh, Then Cyrodill itself, until he sat on the throne as its new emperor. Then he would strike back at Summerset isles and kill every person there for their crimes against man, he would burn every last structure in Summerset, until it was nothing but glasslands.

His plan was almost perfect, except he never planned on going to Solstheim any time soon, with that said, the only man who could stop him was returning to Nirn.

Miraak the first Dragonborn

Authors Notes

Leave a review on what you think, Leave your character if you want, also what did you think of my cover pic? I know its not good, it was twenty minutes on photoshop. Anyways I will update as soon as I can. I deleted this then re-uploaded because I was writing late at night I switched to third person and first person


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Notes

I want to thank everyone who posted a character, but please if you post a character don't give them any Daedric artifacts, Vallis has all of them. Also some characters added will be altered to fit the story better. This chapter will be short I apologize, I try to average between 2000 and 3000 words per chapter.

The Return

The green tides of the acid below struck the massive black tower with a great deal of force. Off in the distance a very violent storm was on route, even here in Oblivion such simple things as lightning and thunder were still a factor. A man stood on the edge of the massive tower and overlooked his home, he called it home for he has been here over a thousand years. Defeated in battle by the Dragon Priests of Solstheim and rescued at the last minute by his master Herma Mora. At least he called him master then. His name was Miraak, in the dragon tongue it meant "Allegiance Guide"

He was just like the other priests, he served the dragons he wore the same clothing, that was until he discovered Herma Mora. He was gifted with the Oghma Infinium, and it corrupted him, Herma Mora corrupted him. The prince of knowledge provided him with the information he was Dragonborn, with these abilities he could do all he wished and with a Daedric prince at his side how could he fail. He became arrogant, lustful for power, he hasn't changed. His clothing altered as well, his robes as dark green as Apocrypha, his mask now altered to resemble more of a squid then anything else. He knew it was time to show the world his power, indeed he is the one that helped stop the war. He traded the dwarves the Oghma Infinium for the Elder Scroll, he then gave it to Hakon and the others, which was used to banish Alduin. He started a battle on Solstheim and managed to kill over twenty dragons, unfortunately one of the priests known as Ahzidal, the first human mage, was strong enough to stop him. When he was captured he was tortured and beaten and humiliated, he still kept his faith in Herma Mora. When he attempted to escape, Vahlok was about to strike upon him and kill Miraak. However Herma Mora rescued him at that exact moment (the dragonfires had not been established so Daedra could wander the world almost freely).

Since then he watched, he watched as time unfolded itself, Herma Mora gave him the ability to watch upon Nirn and that is what he did for the next millennium. He knew more about Tamriels history then anyone could imagine. From the battle at red mountain, the next great known Dragonborn Alessia, who started the Empire and lit the Dragonfires, Molag Bal's invasion of Tamriel, Tiber Septim, the Oblivion crisis, up until now.

When the year 4E 201 hit, the return of the dragons, Miraak finally had a reason to return to Nirn. He was able to muster enough power from apocrypha to finally start influencing the minds of its people. It started out slowly, first it was one person, then it was two, then he was slowly taking over everyones minds on the island, the whole time he had no idea what was going on in Skyrim. He had no knowledge of another Dragonborn and no knowledge of what was going on, Herma Mora played a part in it.

Finally after all this waiting, Miraak saw off in the distance a large portal was starting to develop in the sky. He was almost on his way home. That was until he felt a presence behind him. He gave a small chuckle and turned around.

"I have lived here for over a thousand years Herma Mora, I can tell when you wish to sneak up on me."

The mass amount of black tentacles emerged from the green sky, an eyeball also emerged as well and the deep and calm voice of Herma Mora began to speak,

"indeed Miraak, I see your plan has come full circle and now you wish leave my realm of unlimited knowledge."

"I see you have known all along, my attempts at hiding and my attempts at deceiving you failed."

The creature gave out a small sneer and growled at Miraak, he became very angry,

"YOU HIDE NOTHING FROM ME HERE MIRAAK!"

"Hahaha! Well, I will be master of my own fate once again. Do not worry, your influence will be spread across Tamriel, after all you are the main source of my power. Once I retrieve the Oghma Infinium, I will truly be unstoppable."

Hermaues Mora laughed now and Miraak gave him a slight look of confusion. He wanted to speak but the Daedric Prince went first.

"Miraak, my old champion, I had you believe that you were deceiving me, but all along I was the one deceiving you."

Miraak walked over to the edge of the tower once more and gave out a small sigh to portal on the other side.

"Well that isn't much of a surprise, that isn't at all. You are a demon."

"Miraak, the reason that portal is open and the reason you are escaping now is because I want you to."

"yeah? Why is that?"

"The tides of fate have a strange way of...altering in the slightest of incraments. For example, you shouldn't be escaping as of now, you should have been killed long ago."

"What?!"

"Someone was to come to Solstheim and end your influence and kill you."

"Who is that? What is going on?!"

"The fate of this individual was to be that of a tragic hero, but he has sided with Molag Bal. I never expected that."

"Why is this my problem? If you showed me what they looked lik..."

"Now that would be unsuitable for a Daedra wouldn't it be? I can't make things to easy for you."

Miraak was completely confused, what was this he was hearing? How could he respond to this? Why was Herma Mora letting him escape. He had always thought him to be a neutral prince, not evil but not good either. All he wanted was to bask in his knowledge.

"I am almost driven to suicide by playing your mind games Mora. I have had it, I am leaving now, I will leave through that portal and be greeted by an island full of worshippers and followers of me. Solstheim will be mine and once I have created an army of Dragons I will kill this Molag Bal follower who was supposed to "kill" me and I will at that moment finally be free of you and your rule, Tamriel will be mine!"

Miraak turned back furiously and went over to the edge of the tower, without looking back he jumped off the massive scaled structure and felt the rush in his stomach, he shouted with his thum,

"SAHROTAAR!"

Miraak heard the roar in the distance and out from the side of the tower he saw his most loyal servant, the blue serpentine dragon flew under him and caught his master. Miraak landed on the long neck of his friend as they headed for the large green portal. He called out a few more names,

"Kruziikel!"

"Relonikiv!"

Two more dragons, one an elder and the other a legendary were on route with Miraak. As they made their way to the portal, Miraak announced as he lifted his hands in in the dead air of Apocrypha. He told them in his usual arrogant tone,

"I promised this to you my friends! We have been here for over a millennium and now we can finally return, we will rule under man and mer, Tamriel will be ours!"

The three hit the portal and in an instant Hermaues Mora watched in pleasure as he saw his old champion had escaped, back into Nirn. He said one more final thing,

"Ah Miraak, such imaginations of revolution and free will, soon you will find out that the one who would kill you is Dragonborn as well, soon you will find out that he is my champion. He will balance the world line, your fate was to die by this Dragonborns hands, so it shall be. I will balance out the flaw in this change of time and reality, before I do the same to Vallis."

The massive amount of tentacles and eyeballs began to submerge itself in the twisted green sky above as he said in a laughing manner with his deep voice,

"I also did not tell you that he possesses my Oghma Infinium, heheheheh...How I will enjoy watching this game."

Authors Notes

I will bring in the first character next chapter, at this point just send in characters I have no limit for now. So it appears Vallis joining Molag bal, has changed the fate of Miraak and has started a new reality, but Hermaues Mora wishes to fix this flaw by getting Vallis to kill Miraak. If you wish to know more about Miraaks past and the other priests of Solstheim read my story origins: Ahzidal. Also to the guest who wanted to see more about Vallis taking over Skyrim, I may or may not. This is Miraaks story and Vallis is already the set antagonist, I want to leave him kind of mysterious. If you read a Hero's Journey you can see his different attitudes and his hidden evil.


	3. Chapter 3

Authors Notes

Just to clarify, this isn't a sequel to A Hero's Journey it is a what if story. The sequel is coming on the tenth of this month, titled "Redguard"

Arrival

Blue streaks of the dark blue abyss were hitting the sides of the ship, swaying back in forth to the tides of the water that struck both sides of the ship. An extremely devastating storm had hit Skyrim not to long ago. It was a hurricane hailing in from the sea of ghosts and after a while it began to disperse over the land. Dawnstar got it the worst, the coastal city was riddled with docks and ships. Now almost completely obliterated. Only one ship managed to flee Dawnstar, its name known as the Barnacle Bucket and it was lucky enough to escape Dawnstar. The small imperial vessel was customized to appear as a simple cargo ship, nothing more and nothing less. A crew of about 6 was on deck at all times they each varied in personality and race, but they believed in what they were doing for their cause. The East Empire Company (now under control by Vallis and his kingdom) kept a strict watch on all ships leaving port. No, this simple cargo ship was in fact a smuggling ship for slaves and citizens of Skyrim. They would have to go through hell just to get on the ship, but once the warm and ash filled sands of Solstheim was felt by their toes, they knew they were finally free from Vallis's terror and reign, for a time at least. The ship was also equipped with carefully placed and hidden cannons. These three iron guns shot out massive metal balls of fire and destruction, anything in its way was either destroyed or sent to the depths of Oblivion.

The ship was shaped like a large fishing boat for its bottom half, the lower decks of the ship were filled with hammocks and resting areas for the crew men. But below the cargo that was being shipped, below the mossy covered wet and soggy wooden planks lied an area that could hold fifty people, if they were all crunched up that was. It was not comfy but if it meant freedom then they had no choice. Above the lower docks was two sails that stood at least twenty meters tall, the white sails were selected to represent peace and nothing else. A statue of Akatosh rested on the front of the ship for decorative purposes on. But it was marked with hidden symbols translated only by Dunmer to understand that this was in fact a slave carrier.

Her captain was once a very wealthy Argonian named Ram-Sei. He was born and raised in Riften and started from the very bottom of the fishing industry. He went from living in the streets to eventually running his own fishing empire across Skyrims ports. But, all good things must end, in this case it was his empire. Obviously being very wealthy might make someone greedy, and he was plagued with this sin. He lost most of his money when his family was killed by vampires during the early days of the Dawnguard crisis. He gambled most of it away and went nearly bankrupt, he had no choice but to sell the remnants of his company to the East Empire Company. As soon as Vallis was rising to power he invested all of his (very little) money in a ship and a crew and weapons. Now his only goal in life was to save everyone from the purge of the Dragonborn, and help in anyway he can to assist the rebellion.

Ram-Sei sat miserably in his quarters on a moss covered wet chair, his gray scaly skinned body swayed with the ship as each wave struck back and forth. If one were to concentrate on it long enough then they would get sick from the constant bombarding of waves and movements of the ship.

A bottle of mead had rolled into his foot and it made his lizard like eyes shot right open, his vision dimmed and blurred, he put his grey hands on his eyes to hide the sunlight from his vision. It was strange to see the sun out, Vallis usually shoots it with the bow by now. He wasn't to sure if he hit his head from the storm or drank to much, maybe it was both. When he finally mustered up the strength to actually view his surroundings he wished he left them closed. His door was almost off its hinges and his room had planks taken off, random objects littered the room and the place was soaked with water, he forced his ache body to stand up and face his broken door. He trembled backwards and onto his wooden chair but it was so old and wet that the second his body along with the force he brought with him struck the chair, it broke apart and he hit the ground with enough force to break a mans shoulder. His Argonian body was more durable and lasting then that of a man however so he only let out a slight grunt.

This time he got back up and he stayed back up, he made sure he was balanced for a couple of minutes before making his way outside. He took his now soaked shirt off and threw the wet piece of clothe behind him, he placed his hand on the door and the moist wooden door fell off its hinges completely and rested on the deck in front of him. His almost dead eyes blinded by the sunlight saw the damage that was done by the storm. The black storm clouds were now hovering over Morrowind and Solstheim was in view.

The ship was a total mess, his crew members had buckets and were collecting water to throw out. Both sails were obliterated and they were in the water only helled together by the ropes used to adjust the sails. His ship almost became destroyed, they were mostly just a weaponized piece of driftwood headed towards Raven Rock. From the back of his head he heard someones shouts echo, he was in shock at the sight of survivors crying and people throwing up over the sides of the dock. He heard it once more and his bright yellow lizard eyes turned down the steps to the ship and noticed one of his Dunmer crew mate shouting at him. His blue feathers on his head swayed in the wind as he heard the crew mate.

"Sir! Sir! SIR! CAPTAIN!"

He was filled with grief and shock and he had to reply with an answer or as their captain so he spat out with his slick and smooth voice, he managed to keep pretty calm as well.

"I...I...I...I...Wh...What is the situation?"

The Dunmer gave a sarcastic smile lifted his arms up and turned his head,

"well sir, you're looking at it! Hahahaha! But by the wrath of Boethiah we made it! We managed to beat that bloody storm were here on Solstheim!"

The optimistic Dunmer made his way back further onto the rest of the boat.

Ram-Sei made a smile on his grey scaled skin face as he saw the docks to Raven Rock was on approach, he completely ignored his body pain and shouted out in joy,

"Get ready for the anchors! HAHAAHA! We made it everyone! Woo!"

They weren't quite beside the docks but considering the massive damage that storm had done, this was amazing. The anchors dropped and the Barnacle Bucket had finally docked on the shores of Solstheim. Ram-Sei needed to get to the Retching Netch for a mead before he met with the leader of the vampire rebellion.

He took his wet sandals off and put his feet on the shore of Solstheim. It felt so good to be away from that piece of Oblivion that was once called Skyrim. He closed his eyes as he wrapped the feeling of that ashy sand in his feet. He did it, he actually did it. When he opened his eyes and noticed all the slaves and survivors of Skyrim and how they were hugging their families and crying on the beaches of the island. He looked over to see the well dressed Dunmer, Adril Arano was making his way over to see Ram, he had a nice smile on his face. He lifted his hand and locked it with Ram's, in a handshake he had a smile on his elf face, he looked around the camp and noticed all the relieved survivors and how happy they were to be free of that overlord.

"Hahaha! When we got word that the storm was on its way, we...uh...we expected the worst. But to see that you all made it in one piece...I am so happy, we are so happy."

Ram-Sei smiled again at the sight of all the happy people, at that moment he realized it. He whispered out in a very happy manner as a tear almost developed,

"I...It was all worth it. My money, all of it."

Adril looked a little confused and ignored that statement, he wrapped his arm around Ram and told him in a celebrating manner,

"So, shall we head to the retching Netch? I mean you defin..."

It was almost in an instant when it started, the shaking. Everyone was running around in a panic at the sight of the mountains to the north of the island shaking. It was almost as if the entire world were being ripped in half. Ram fell over due to his aching body still and could only gaze with the others at the sight of the sky turning green, the sunlight was being interrupted, Everyone watched now as a massive oblivion gate had been erupting from the mountain side and it was spewing green lightning. The portal itself opened and it emitted a strange green aura, no one was sure what it was or what was going on.

Three dragons came bursting out of the portal and into the sky, they roared and scared mostly everyone to their knees. Why were there dragons coming from Oblivion? Whatever was going on, Ram looked in a mixture of horror and curiosity, he looked back at Skyrim and anxiety struck him because he knew Vallis is watching right now.

Solitude, moments earlier.

He sat on his throne, a large stone chair that housed skulls and carvings of Daedric markings. The wall behind him painted black and red with blood. He had a long corridor that stretched a red carpet and was home of many red glowing torches. He had thralls dressed nicely by his side as he looked upon what was in front of him. A Nord slave had been tied up in chains and held to his knees by a vampire as he made direct eye contact with the self proclaimed king of Skyrim, Vallis the Dragonborn, beside him sat his queen, Serana.

The shivering man couldn't look at either of them. Serana was dressed like a woman who if you stared at her the wrong way would kill you, plus her eyes stared into your soul. Vallis was no different, his face couldn't be seen past his hood but his eyes lit up the entire mask as if they were a pair of blood red lights. He wore that jet black ebony mail, even if you imagined striking him then you would have to get passed the poison attack it gave off.

The slave was cowering and trembling at his unknown fate, as he cried out in pure fear,

"ppppp...please!...I...I didn't mean to!..."

Vallis paid no attention to the speck of a slave and leaned over to whisper to his queen. She gave out a nice little smile and giggled at him. Vallis announced,

"Everyone, leave us. I will deal with him myself." His eyes were now looming onto the slave, his voice more intimidating and when the slave looked up, he couldn't help but nearly cry.

Everyone left the room and Serana place a kiss on Vallis's masked face, she smiled with her darkened face and said,

"I left the bow on the balcony whenever you are ready for the sun."

Vallis held a smile that she could not see under his mask and his voice went to almost cheerful instantly.

"Thank you my queen, this will not take long."

She left the room and once the slave heard the iron doors shut and the clanking of the handles, his heart skipped a beat. He was now alone with the most dangerous man in Skyrim. He put his arms behind his back and began to pace, his voice became arrogant as he landed a little speech,

"you know, you may think you are a hero by sneaking a shiv into one of my brothers necks, but...uh yeah, that was a pretty dumb move on your part, hahaha!"

The slave mustered up words past his trembling lips, "I...I...(sob)...I am so...I AM SORRY LORD!"

Vallis nodded a bit, he was teasing the slave now, "yeah...yeah, you see I am not feeling it you know? I know you so called "hero types" I was one! But we got no room for that in our world, you will have to be punished accordingly."

He put his hand on his chin and contemplated, "lets see, no, no, not a thrall that would be way to easy, ooh!" He snapped his fingers,

"It has been about an hour since I last fed soooooooo."

The slave watched as he only pulled half of his mask off to reveal his mouth and teeth. If there ever were lips on this man they were gone, he only saw teeth, large pointy edged ones at that. Along the edges of his mouth were old dark red blood stains. His skin was riddled with black veins and scars, its colour was almost as dark as the armour he wore on his body. The man didn't even want to imagine what the rest of his face looked like, along with those eyes.

He soon found Vallis's gauntlet wrap around his tattered clothes and lift him in the air, the man begged for mercy out of fear,

"PLEASE! I...I HAVE A FAMILY! I AM SORRY!"

Vallis gave such a disturbing sight of a smile, the man almost threw up at the sight, Vallis said one last thing to the man as menacingly as he could,

"heheheheh, well then, I will be sure to pay them a visit as well."

The man wanted to scream something but soon found that Vallis had sunk his teeth into his neck and began to drink and absorb more then he needed. The man was feeling weaker and more tired as blood was oozing down his neck and body. He closed his eyes as he was getting even more tired. He was dead.

Vallis threw the limp and drained body away like a piece of garbage and wiped his mouth. He yelled at his two thralls,

"Could you two take care of that please?"

The two controlled and loyal thralls had no choice and bowed, "yes master!"

Vallis left the room and headed for the balcony, he was about to shoot the sun with Auriels Bow, as he did every day. But the second he stepped outside and admired the day he was about to ruin, the entire building began to tremble. Even though no one was around him, Vallis screamed,

"WHAT IS THIS!?"

Over in the distance, Solstheim maybe, a large green light had lit up the sky, almost as bright as the sun itself. Vallis was confused and curious both at once. The shaking stopped and Tullius ran onto the balcony with Vallis and asked him in a hurry,

"what is it? What do we do? Vallis?! VALLIS!?"

Vallis seemed to be in a trance with the light as he told Tullius in a distracted manner,

"I...I...Send a couple squads over to Solstheim, I want to know what that was, what this...light is."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**

**So I got this idea after a few reviews, it seems everyone wishes to see the events that lead Vallis onto the throne, so I will do my best. I will post chapters that go into more detail about how Vallis came into power, they will be posted every now and then as sort of a flashback. I will also be doing this with a few SYOC's as well. I want to add a little more character development. Make sure to send them in! I also wanted to say that my first story A Hero's Journey has passed 20K views! It feels really awesome to see that, I won't post any more teasers though because Redguard is out on tuesday.**

**Corruption**

"Look into my eyes Serana, you tell me what I am!"

Vallis stood beside Serana in his ebony mail and watched in amusement, his companion had Vyrthur, one of the few remaining snow elves left in existence, in her arms lifted over a frozen canyon. They had come this far to acquire Auriels bow. They now stood on the balcony of the inner sanctum, a hidden Snow Elf fortress. By the looks of it, it was once a great place of worship a magnificent piece of elven craftsmanship, Vallis had to respect that, but now, it was reduced to a frozen fortress of ice and death. Vallis was more looking at the morning sun as it was rising, then the situation at hand. His armor protected the sunlights direct rays against his grey skin, but he still felt its intense heat piercing his skin, if he were to get hurt or tired in this heat, he would not heal until night fall. But he gazed upon the rage induced Serana, his breath was showing like smoke due to the intense chilling temperatures. By the looks of the grip on Vyrthurs neck he expected her to snap his neck right there. Serana was almost grief stricken at the sight of Vyrthur who was a vampire, he listened as she still held him in the cold breeze of the Skyrim winter morning.

"Y...y...you're a...vampire? Y...you were the one who wrote that prophecy! You want my blood so you can just fulfill your revenge plan against a god?"

Vallis enjoyed seeing Serana become angry like this, he smiled as he knew that she was becoming more angry and enraged. He listened as he watched her angry glowing orange eyes stair right into his and his grasp clenched tighter on his armor.

"well, I intend on keeping it! I will not let you use me like my father did!"

The elf clenched his arms forward and in an instant, a giant ball of yellow energy erupted from his body. Serana's eyes widened at this oncoming attack and she couldn't really protect herself against the blast, in almost an instant she was sent blasting off of the ledge she was perched on and she landed on top of the wayshrine that housed a statue of the sun god, Auri-El.

Vyrthur turned his enraged vampire eyes to the battle ready Vallis who was pacing towards him, armored hands glowing with dark red magic.

Vallis lifted his black arm and was about to charge an attack, Vyrthur lifted his hand also and shot out an icy spear right into the ebony mail. It struck right under Vallis's neck and made him fall on one knee, his hand right on his now pierced neck.

Vyrthur went around Vallis and kicked him into the stone railing that separated the two from the massive drop into the icy fields of the forgotten vale. He grabbed the disoriented Vallis who was still holding his bleeding neck and lifted his torso over the edge of the perched balcony. His vampire eyes met with Vallis's.

"You will not get in my way! I will have my revenge ag...Ag...Ag...Against...W...What...iiiiiiiissss.. .THIS?!"

Vallis watched as Vyrthur released his grip on him and his entire body had been bleached black, he was being poisoned by the ebony mail and by the amount of pain he seemed to be taking it wasn't looking pleasant.

He was perched on his knees and he was crying out in immense pain, as if there was nothing worse he could feel at that moment. The blanket of cold darkness that was bound to him like a symbiotic parasite stealing away his life.

"AGHHHHHH! WH...WHAT IS THIS! WHAT IS...WHAT IS...Aghhhhh! IT FEELS LIKE MY INSIDES ARE...ARE ON FIRE! AGHH! AGHHHHHH!"

A small smile stretched across the masked face of the vampire, as his hands glowed with restoration magic he healed a little and used the wall behind him as a balance to lift him up. He whispered out in a menace as he place his hand on the poisoned Vyrthur who was in nothing but immense pain.

"Heheheheh, well Vyrthur this is the end for you."

Vallis landed a right hook in the middle of the elfs face, by the force of the blow and the squeal that came from his mouth, Vallis determined he probably broke his nose. He then grabbed his face and smashed it against the stone railing multiple times, the blood stain that was left was getting larger each time. Vallis was happy to know that he was being poisoned and getting his face smashed in by Vallis's armor bound arm.

"Now...You will die by me, hehehe, the dragonborn! Do not worry, you are not the first!" Vallis said arrogantly as he got ready to finish off his opponent in one final move. His mind full of different emotions and rage, he was glad to be doing this.

Vallis smashed his face in one more time and then he grabbed his other arm and twisted it around Vyrthurs neck, he said nothing as the only thing on his mind was pain, pain, pain, and pain. In one twist Vallis snapped the elves neck, the body dropped right there. He kicked it one last time and lifted it up over the ledge to throw it over.

When he turned around, his armor stained with a little bit of blood, he noticed Serana with a shocked expression on her face. Vallis began to trudge past her a little angry,

"you know, you could have stepped in at anytime Serana, I wasn't hurt or getting attacked or anything." Vallis stood at the top of the stairs and looked right into Seranas eyes, he knew he was about to hear it.

"Uhm...Vallis? Was that necessary? I mean, you could have just killed him. Instead he was being poisoned and beat to death!" Serana asked a little in disbelief and disgust.

Vallis continued down the stairs, "He had it coming, he would have killed you for your blood at any giving chance he had. We are vampires Serana, act like IT!" That last statement made her jump a little.

The wayshrine opened and out of the doorway walked out Gelebor. He knew his brother was dead and Vallis knew he was about to go into a large conversation about his race and the future and the bow. Vallis ignored his talking, his red eyes opened at the sight of the beautifully crafted Elven bow, floating in the middle of the stone structure. Past that were the portals he opened earlier.

Vallis interrupted Gelebor in his boring talk and asked in a hurry and excitement, while he pointed his finger at the bow.

"I...Is...Is that it?"

Gelebor looked behind him and had a bit of an annoyed look to his face when Vallis interrupted his conversation like that, but he still answered, in a similar manner.

"Yes, it is yours now."

Vallis immediately brushed passed the snow elf and stood right in front of his ultimate weapon. With this, he could kill Harkon, with this he could become the dominate leader of Skyrim, and with good time, Tamriel. He was in such awe at the weapon, he caressed its beautiful texture and its craftsmanship, he would be enjoying this a lot. He was so distracted that he ignored Serana and Gelebor staring at him. Serana leaned in a little concerned, she whispered to the elf, with that disgusted look on his face,

"Gelebor...uh...Vyrthur said something about tainting the arrows with blood." Serana asked, her eyes still locked on Vallis.

Gelebor turned, his back facing Vallis who still had the bow, admiring its power. The snow elf placed his white arms and gauntlets on his hips as he placed his hands down in utter disappointment, he never answered Serana's question, his head went down and he sighed.

"You know Serana, I can't believe that I am giving Auriels bow to vampires, you seem like a very trustworthy woman and I know you will put it to proper use. I...I just don't trust him." His head leaned back a bit to signify Vallis. Gelebor continued as he kicked the snow in front of him a little, his voice now a little calmer and relaxed.

"As for your question, blood has been known to...well...taint it. Only a daughter of coldharbour can really do anything to the bow." Serana's eyes widened, Gelebor noticed this. Gelebor was confused so he asked.

"What? Do you know one? They are very rare, only a..." Gelebor was cut off by Serana.

"Gelebor...I...I am a daughter of Coldharbour." She spat it out, she knew not why, but she trusted Gelebor for some reason. Before Gelebor could get past what he had just heard he listened with a look of utter shock on his white, ice cold face. Seranas eyes started to bawl.

"I...I...I don't want this! (sob) I just wanted to stop my father from hurting anyone...But when I look at Vallis...(sob) he isn't that awkward cute boy...t...that found me in that tomb...All I see is my father in him now...I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE!"  
Serana put her tearing eyes in her undead hands. The cold breeze of the morning almost made it feel like her tears were freezing as they were falling out.

A concerned Gelebor wanted to comfort her, in his sweetest voice possible he spoke to the crying Serana,

"Serana...I...AGHHHHHHHH!" Gelebor was cut off, not by Serana who was now looking up in utter shock. But it was the massive and piercing Daedric sword that had just ruptured past his spine and heart and now stuck out of his heart. The entire sword was dripping with bits of Gelebors insides and blood as well, Gelebor began to cough up blood as the sword was pushed further. and his arms were flailing all over the place. He gave the expressionless Serana one final look as he muttered in a flooded voice due to the pain and over flow of blood in his throat and in his lungs.

"AGHHHH...R...(cough)...Serana!...RUNNNNNN!" His last words spewed the blood out of his mouth onto the ground in front of him. His body fell after. He bounced as the stone ground beneath him was struck, the sword came shooting back out of his back as he hit the ground and now the blood soaked weapon leaned on him, a massive hole where it once was a moment ago. and he now laid there, Gelebor was dead. A pool of blood was developing quickly underneath him, the snow around him painted with its dark red colour. Serana's eyes were locked on his body, but the teared glowing red eyes turned up to see Vallis standing above the corpse, bow wrapped around him and blood smeared all over himself.

His arms lifted to his sides as he yelled in a very intimidating and threatening manner, something Vallis has never done to her. She jumped at his voice.

"SO! YOU THINK I AM LIKE YOUR FATHER! YOU COMPARE ME TO HIM!?"

Serana was done, done running from her father, done living a life of fear and hate as a vampire. She has gone threw too much in her life, her ritual with Molag Bal, her fathers tyranny. Just when she thought she found someone who might help, who understood her, he turned out to be a power hungry monster. Her dagger was now unsheathed, Vallis sighed and seemed disappointed,

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this Serana, I thought you wanted to destroy your father and be my queen?" Vallis asked a little in anger and sadness.

Serana wiped her eyes her dagger almost piercing her hand she was squeezing so hard. She screamed at Vallis with all she got.

"I DON'T WANT TO WAGE A WAR ON TAMRIEL! YOU ONLY WANT TO KILL MY FATHER SO THE THRONE WILL BE YOURS!"

Serana lunged at Vallis, he remained still and simply shouted at her in one swift movement,

"IIZ SLEN!" (ice form)

Serana landed as a massive piece of ice, since he only shouted once it wouldn't last long. Vallis broke the ice over her face and she seemed dazed and confused over the attack. Vallis kneeled beside her and said as though in an instant his mood changed as though his mind was clouded, and now he was feeling sorrow. She watched, to frozen to actually say or do anything.

"(sob) I really didn't want it to be like this my queen...I am...I am sorry. It was my mistake to believe that you might actually follow me all the way. I offer you salvation and power, and you will take it." Vallis nodded as he spoke to her, eyes closed.

She saw as he pulled something out of his sac, a book. It seemed to be made of...skin. It was in poor condition, but she had never seen it before. Then again, Vallis seems to hold almost anything in his bag. He closed his bag and Serana watched as he placed his hands on the front page, as soon as he turned the first piece of old paper, her bright red vampire eyes were locked onto the corrupting and lustful powers of Herma Mora's Oghma Infinium, it was as if she were looking into a world of pure temptation and lust, how could she refuse to give in to the books power. It was the same book that made Vallis even more powerful and evil then he is now.

A smile went across his undead face, Serana was now his for sure, all that was left was Harkon, then his true plan could begin.

Authors Notes

I understand a lot of people are saying I am lacking in detail, I know. I am back in school again so it is kind of hard to balance the two together, so I apologize, I will try my best.


	5. Chapter 5

Welcome Back.

**The Near Future**

As the sky dimmed its usual red tone, the sunlight finally emerged from its bloody shell. Two men, standing face to face, both heavily injured and both about ready to kill each other, both considered gods amongst man, both considered threats to this world, but only one was truly evil. The throat of the world seemed like a great place to finish this petty conflict, so the first man stepped forward in his tattered green robes, he was Miraak the first Dragonborn. He spoke with his hands as he paced in front of his soon to be opponent, Vallis.

"So this is how it ends it seems, with the first Dragonborn and the last Dragonborn, at the summit of High Hrothgar. Your tyranny of this world is now over, I have come to end it and free these people of your reign. To think, the good we could have done together."

Vallis's mask was mostly destroyed, his disfigured and corrupt bloody face now mostly exposed, his body so full of rage that now he was indeed trembling and shaking at his own anger, he was actually anxious. His armor damaged and leaking blood, he screamed in some last attempt of self defense, his vampiric eyes managing to tear up

"AFTER ALL YOU DID! ALL THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE KILLED! You come back and now you are the hero!? NO! I WAS THE HERO!...I was...the...hero. I killed Alduin! I killed Harkon! " His head turned and he looked upon the nation that was once under his control, he continued his speech of self pity and remorse, his voice full of empathy.

"After all...After all you have done to me? What have I done to deserve this? You were no different, you used his book, you used it for the exact same reason as I. No matter, what happens here next will write the future of Skyrim and Tamriel, this will be written in the elder scrolls, how I was able to defeat you Miraak...SO LET US END THIS!"

His hands lifted and glowed blue, Miraaks the same, in one burst of energy they shouted at each other,

"FUS RO DAH!"

"FUS RO DAH!"

**Present**

"People of Solstheim! I have returned from the realm known to you as Apocrypha. I have lived there in solitude for the past thousand years and I have witnessed how much this world has changed since I last placed my feet on the sands of Solstheim. My time has come and I have returned, you have all assisted in building my temple, you all know my mantra, I am Miraak, I HAVE COME TO TAKE BACK WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY MINE!"

The sky was no longer green, but now a dull cloud was lit up above the closed Oblivion gate. Ram-Sei jumped back up, anxiety filled his heart, not of this Miraak, but Vallis. Wherever he was, he knew that either Vallis would send a large squad of vampires or...him. His ultimate tool and weapon. A man who was once an enemy of Vallis, now converted to an uneasy ally. His name was Zenoth Baren, but those that feared him along with Ram called him The Illusionist. Once a well respected Telvanni wizard, he found Molag Bal and has been a dedicated follower ever since, he wishes to bring his master in this world, but Vallis won't allow it, he knows that if Molag Bal shows up, then his rule will be gone. The only reason he sticks with Vallis is in hopes of one day getting his master into this world, he also fears Vallis, which says something. He is also the only man in Vallis's court who is not a vampire, just a devoted follower. This man can make your deepest fears come true by tapping in your mind with an ancient form of Dunmer Illusion magic, along with his mastery of the other arcane arts, he is as much of a threat as Vallis or Lady Serana. Vallis, being the contradicting coward he is, will most likely send him to Solstheim.

The situation at hand had three dragons and a bunch of zombified, brainwashed people reciting some mantra and bowing to this Miraak. Ram had no idea who he was, or what was going on, even beside him, his well dressed Dunmer friend was on the ground bowing and reciting the words in a trance like manner,

"Here in his shrine  
That they have forgotten  
Here do we toil  
That we might remember  
By night we reclaim  
What by day was stolen  
Far from ourselves  
He grows ever near to us  
Our eyes once were blinded  
Now through him do we see  
Our hands once were idle  
Now through them does he speak  
And when the world shall listen  
And when the world shall see  
And when the world remembers  
That world shall cease to be!"

The entire town was doing this, it was actually quite horrific, people were dropping whatever items they had with them, food, weapons, anything. All of them bowed and recited those same words, whoever this was, Solstheim was already his. Ram was in absolute horror, unsure what to do, that was until he heard a Dunmer speak to him. His lizard like face turned its direction and he saw an entire man wearing chitin armor, head to toe. But by the sounds of his voice, he was definitely Dunmer. He looked straight up at that portal then down to the shocked Argonian, Ram couldn't say he was the friendliest of people, but he was an ally.

"Well, I see you are not under the control of Miraak, thats good I guess, better then nothing. My name is Teldryn Sero, and judging by the look that was just on your face, you know who's coming. I know you are part of the Dawnguard rebellion, I suggest we make our way to see your leader." Teldryn let his arm out and Ram grabbed it without haste to bring himself up. He took in a few breathes and they were on their way from Raven Rock.

Ram noticed all of them, every single person on their way towards this Miraak, they were in such a trance like state, half of them were falling over and bumping into each other. Teldryn made no conversation, it seemed that he was intent on moving to find the new leader of the Dawnguard here in Solstheim, that was his purpose, finding Ram outside of the Retching Netch seemed to be a side objective to his main goal, one he wasn't happy about either. They trudged their way out of the old mining town, past the large wall that protected the city from the ash. Ram had to stop however, he almost fell over on one knee as he began to pant. Teldryn rolled his eyes behind his mask as he turned and asked arrogantly,

"We have barely been running you know, the fact that this makes you tire..." Teldryn noticed this was more than just lack of good cardio. On the side of the Argonians grey skin were his gills, they seemed to be breathing in heavily as well, Teldryn asked with little arrogance and more sympathy this time.

"What is wrong?"

Ram coughed into his hand and used his leg as a balance to help himself up, he leaned against the wall, he listened in the distance only to hear the chant of those brainwashed members of Miraaks cult. His lizard eyes turned to Teldryn, he just asked him a question, one he had to use all his strength to answer, voice wheezing as he did.

"Oh...(cough)...Its just...We Argonians are not used to this ash (cough)...We need more moisture in our lungs..." Ram said, he remained in his friendly state. He almost fell over again as he made his way, sluggishly over to the nearby ocean. As soon as his feet touched it, he fell right in.

Teldryn waited a moment, and Ram soon found himself back on the beach beside Teldryn, he just shook his head and muttered,

"typical Argonian."

Ram on the other hand was relieved to get some water back in his system, he sighed in utter pleasure at the moisture that filled his body,

"Ahhhhhhh, much better."

Ram wasn't a hater of Dunmer, but it seems Teldryn hated what his people did to the Dunmer and Morrowind. There was an awkward silence as they made their way across the ash filled sands of the area, but Ram had to find some way to break the tension between the two. So he thought of something out of the back of his head, as they made their way on this Solstheim morning.

"So uh...Teldryn, are you part of the Dawnguard?"

Teldryn muttered abruptly, "no."

Ram kept his head down, and he realized he wasn't on friendly terms with this guy, but he tried yet again to only annoy Teldryn further,

"H...how come you aren't affected by all this...I guess mind control stuff. I mean, well uh...How come the entire town was but not you."

Ram could almost not get the last words out of his mouth, Teldryn interrupted and cut him off, not even making eye contact.

"I have been noticing this stuff for the past months, people losing memories and building shrines, repairing Miraaks temple, so on. I have come to realize it only affects those who lived on the island for a while, and those with no self control."

Ram asked curiously, "by what do you mean, self control?"

Teldryn sighed, not wanting to talk to this man any more, "It means that I have trained for years to master my physical and mental well being, some little mind game will not work on me, it's all about will my friend."

Ram nodded, what he said next got Teldryn a little upset,

"So why haven't you bothered to stop all this?"

Teldryn stopped right there in his tracks, Ram noticed him after a few steps forward and walked back to see what the problem was. In almost an instant, he could hear the tone in Teldryns voice change to utter anger,

"how dare you! I have done everything in my power to stop this! I have killed for information! The Dawnguard said it was none of their concern, Neloth won't help because he merely observes, all that is left is me! So don't make accusation..." Teldryn stopped immediately and his head whipped at the sun, Rams followed.

The sky had become blood red once more, Vallis had done what he does every day and shot the sun with the bloodcursed arrow. Teldryn dropped his previous attitude and yelled quickly,

"It won't be long now..." Teldryn started to run a little, Ram followed after some hesitation looking at the sun.

As they were both sprinting Teldryn yelled out, behind him, Ram still staring at the glowing red abyss of the sun. He was in a hurry,

"DAMN! Where is the location of the Dawnguard?!"

Ram wasn't responding, he couldn't he knew it would be soon. Teldryn yelled again to get his attention,

"RAM-SEI!"

"Oh! Uh...uh...damn its been a while. Umm... Yeah! The old Imperial fort, that is where the boss is."

The two were now on a fast approach to Fort Frostmoth, the once great Imperial station of Solstheim, restored by the boss of the Dawnguard. It wasn't until about a km away when it happened.

Beyond the red darkness that plagued the land, past the few remaining trees that were not burnt by the volcano, at the beach that connected the waters with the island itself. They were here. For the first time, Ram heard something from Teldryn, something he thought would never come from the Dunmer, fear. Almost as if time slowed, Teldryn shouted,

"GET DOWN!"

They both ducked under the small crevice between some trees, the same moment the vampires had noticed them. Almost as soon as they hit the sand, fireballs and ice spikes were spewing at their direction. Teldryn couldn't even react, they just kept coming. Ram had his hands over his grey skinned ears, he almost could not hear, the intense heat he felt from the fireballs, mere centimetres above his face. Teldryn attempted to sit up as fast as he could to see how bad the situation was, no sooner when he did that did an icy spear pierce his shoulder and the impact made him fall back into the sand beside Ram, his head made a cracking noise as it struck a small black rock that resided there. A pool of blood was staining the sand, it was coming from the back of Teldryns head. All that was heard and seen was a group of vampires firing at a cowering Argonian and an bleeding Dunmer.

Ram looked over to see Teldryn, he had no idea if he was conscious or not due to the mask, even if he was, he wasn't moving. Ram lied there hands over his ears, screaming in fear,

"HELP! HELP! SOMEONE! PLEASE! HELLLLLLLP!"

Just like that, the attacking stopped, in an instant. Ram lied there, on the brink of utter shock, his eyes wide open and Teldryns blood hitting his bare back. He was forced by pure curiosity to look up, only his eyes were peeked between the crevice of the now burnt trees, when he examined how many there were.

Now, his eyes were almost popping out of his sockets at the sight that followed. Before him stood three large docked fishing boats, 15 vampires were standing on the beach waiting, some were pacing. Then...he was standing there.

It was his ultimate fear at the time, he stood there, arms behind his back, purple Telvanni robes covered his body, a hood was attached to his head followed by a golden helmet. It resembled a steel plate helmet in many ways, he announced in his Dunmer accent, almost as if he was interested to be here. The Illusionist spoke.

"Residents of the island Solstheim, me and my colleagues, the vampires who stand behind me, we represent the kingdom of Skyrim, ruled by the Dragonborn Vallis. About forty minutes ago, an Oblivion gate opened, take us to the gate and we will spare this island...That is until Vallis decides to come back. Please, we do not want to make this difficult. Comply and we will leave."

Ram wasn't listening, he was only focused on the fort that was only a short run away. So close, yet so far. He didn't know what compelled him, fear, or stupidity. Whatever the case, he used every last bit of adrenaline to get up, he ignored Teldryn and just sprinted. He shouted in fear and anxiety as he was making his way,

"HELP! THEY'RE HERE! THEY ARE HERE!"

He felt it, right against his bare back, the scorching heat of the fireball just launched at him was enough to make him roll over, the scales on his back nothing but a crisp. Rhe Illusionist just put his hand down from the magic he just shot. The Illusionist ordered his men behind him,

"retrieve that Argonian for me, if he is critical, heal him, I need him aliv..." His head arched up, along with the vampires. The red sun made it clear, so clear it was frightening.

"DRAGON!"

Ram couldn't see it, but he knew someone was behind him. If he tried to roll over then his fresh burn wound would be faced with sand and it would not feel pleasant. But all of a sudden he felt pleasure, someone was healing him, healing his wound. He heard a soothing Dunmer woman's voice,

"Do not move, this will be a lot less painful if you do."

His head managed to twitch back, he saw her. She wore some strange robes, and a mask. She was one of Miraaks cultists. She placed her hand on his face and eased slight force into the ground, she told him,

"Relax, you are safe now, master will protect us."

Rams eyes closed in a questioning manner, he asked her,

"master?!" his became startled at a loud thump. When he saw it, it was almost terrifying. A large blue dragon just landed with a great deal of force it shuck the earth like a quake.

But Rem saw it, a foot came off the dragons side, followed by an entire body. This man was now walking away from his creature, he turned his look over to the woman above him. This man was the one from before, the man who came from the gate, Miraak. He pointed at the cultist and yelled,

"get them out of here!" He turned and faced a group of terrified and startled vampires, some were even on the ground, their undead eyes all focused on Miraak, some were still staring at his blue Serpentine dragon, who stayed by his masters side and made sure nothing escaped his beastly eyes. The Illusionist was backing up, his hands ahead of him to indicate fear and that he meant no trouble. The Illusionist was afraid of Miraak.

Miraak stepped forward, his mask meeting the Illusionists, they stared for a few moments, Miraak could read him like a book. He said as threatening as he could, his head scanning the entire beach as he said it.

"You followers of Molag Bal, you vampires, this island is mine, your punishment for invading...is death."

Outside of the forest, half a dozen of Miraaks Cultists joined him, his dragon flapped its wings and was now in the air.

His hand lifted above him, now glowing blue with lightening.

A/N

Anyone who has read A Hero's Journey, knows who the Illusionist is, one of the main antagonists of Vallis, now an ally.


	6. Chapter 6

A change of heart

40 minutes earlier

"Look at them Sahrotaar, watch as they come to me, as they worship me. This time Ahzidal and the others will not be here to stop me, this time Solstheim will be mine."

The two soared in the nice morning breeze of the morning, they both watched as the servants were like ants headed for the temple of Miraak, they were all for Miraak. Sahrotaar, roared as most dragons did, Miraak commented as he saw the island that he hasn't stepped foot on in over a thousand years, behind all that buried power lust, he felt something, nostalgia. The sun lit up the island like a glistening icicle, so different yet so similar. Miraak told himself, his voice now a little happier, an emotion he thought was dead inside him.

"Wow...The island, it is so...So different. I know so much has happened here but, it feels good to be back, to breath the air, to be free of Herma Mora. Even these ash filled wastelands are better then Apocrypha. Now, about this follower of Molag Bal that Herma Mora never told me about."

After seeing that that his brain washed slaves had all made it to his rebuilt temple, he commanded Sahrotaar,

"land at my temple Sahrotaar, I wish to greet my new servants."

The dragon commanded under his influence, "Of course master."

They headed down, once the crowd saw that he was on route they all cheered hysterically, everyone was being handed robes and a mask by several cultists. Miraaks face cracked a smile at the sight of them all, his legacy and influence have returned once more, now Tamriel would soon be next. His temple had been fully repaired by his followers, the All-maker stones were his, its power surged through him, he was unstoppable.

The dragon landed inside the middle of his newly built temple, the last time he saw it this magnificent was when he was fighting Ahzidal in the skies above, all those years ago. The stone work so fresh and new, it reflected himself so perfectly, how detailed these people made it, how much work and effort they put in it. Miraak was filled with various emotions for once, was this due to his freedom from his master? For the first time since he was a child in Saarthal he felt grateful, he felt modest. He thought to himself, did he like this? Was he glad to be feeling this? Would it interfere with his goal? No, Miraak had his mind set on it, Solstheim would be his, Tamriel would be his.

Yet all these emotions pooling in him for the first time, it was a heavy load. As soon as he saw his crowd of at least a hundred cultists cheering his name and mantra, he wasn't actually sure what to do, he felt dizzy and light headed, his body almost turning to a feather, as he fell on one knee, he muttered to himself in pain and realization, his hands clenching his mask covered face,

"Ahhhhhhhhhh! AHHHHHHH!...Wwww...WHAT...What is this!...What am I feeling!" Miraak wasn't sure if this was pain or not but he could tell a few cultists were making their way as quickly as they could to his aid.

Miraak felt so strange, it was so hard to explain what he was feeling, pain, remorse, fear, grief, happiness, grace, love. Everything that he never felt due to that damn book, the Oghma Infinium. He had to rush and he quickly removed his mask as fast as he could to get some clear air. Not that it helped, this ash filled wasteland was already hard to breath for a Nord like him. His followers made it to him, one aimed their arms to make sure that no one moved, Miraak could tell it was a woman by her voice, it seemed soothing yet full of angst and excitement at the sight of her master returning. She took of her mask and kneeled beside him, her red hair in a pony tail and her large red eyes focused on Miraak. She seemed young but elves can live for a long time, so who knows, she had a very respectful yet friendly personality, she was quite beautiful for an elf, Miraak thought to himself. Her name was Nummuamsi Kutebani she asked him as carefully as she could, as to not upset him,

"Master, a...are you alright? Do you need healing? Are you hurt?"

Miraak shook his now unmasked face and coughed at the ash, he looked at the Dunmer girls eyes and he almost jerked back for a second,

"No...I..(cough)...I do not need anything servant, thank you." His eyes opened, did Miraak the first Dragonborn, just say thanks?! What has happened to him, has his conscious finally returned, he tried to ignore it and focused on the look of this girl.

Miraak comes from a time when all elven kind was hated, he assisted in the obliteration of the snow elves, ever since then he has had some distrust with elves. But this woman gave off a friendly vibe, one Miraak was surprised to see in an elf, maybe it was because she was his follower? He also stared at her in curiosity, he knew that the Dunmer were once the Chimer, the elves from his time, but to see one up close, was strange to say the least. Miraak forced himself up, his eyes scanning at the sight of all his followers standing at the edge of his temple, all wearing the robes and masks of the cultists. He placed one hand on his head and he knew right away something was off... He needed to see his reflection, he needed to see it now. His voice almost raised,

"I need a mirror! Does anyone have something! Anyone!?"

There was much chatter amongst the crowd, but it seemed no one had anything, Miraak continued to feel his face, something was wrong with him. When he saw a small puddle of water nearby in a small crevice of his temples stone work he rushed over there in a hurry, he needed to see his face.

Despite the mucky and green texture the dirty water was giving off, Miraak saw it, his eyes almost shot open, his face, was...normal.

Before, due to his corruption, his eyes were jet black, he had veins of pure black covering his entire skin and erupting from his eyes. His skin gave off a light gray tone, and there was always dead skin peeling off of him, hair all gone, his lust for power had destroyed him. he looked like what Vallis does now, minus the teeth and red eyes.

Now, his skin was back to its usual Nord tone, his boyish look was back as well. His freckles under his eyes, his scars. His hair was also back, its short brown slick look, its shine from the sun. He hasn't bothered to look under the mask in years, he assumed he always looked the same. He was grateful at the sight of this, but at the same time displeased, no one would find him intimidating like this, he needed to always wear his mask. He stared for a moment longer, smiled at his face and got himself back up, when he went over to his mask to pick it up and place it back on his face. It was time to address his followers, he used his power of the thum to raise his voice and enhance his range. He used his body while he communicated, moving his arms, pacing. He hoped that now he could get back on track and not have an incident like before.

"Greetings Solstheim, I am Miraak. I am glad to see that my temple has been rebuilt and my influence on this island has returned. But it is not enough, we will soon be headed to Skyrim, then Tamriel itself. Brothers and Sisters of the cult of Miraak, we will create a new world!" Miraak closed his eyes behind his mask and lifted his arms expecting cheers from his cult, no such thing happened.

Miraak felt awkward about this situation and his voice had a hint of menace to it,

"Is that a problem with any of you?" He shook his head a little.

The Dunmer girl from before ran to him and as quietly as she could whispered in his ear,

"Uhm...Master, I...uh don't know how to really explain this but...Skyrim is sort of...sort of..."

Miraak felt his old self emerge once more, "Spit it out servant! What is the problem with taking over Skyrim?!" The girl was about to speak as she saw her lord was upset but it happened.

The entire sun was engulfed in the red darkness of the blood cursed arrows within an instant. The entire area glowed red and the sun was now nothing but a big black and red ball of Oblivion. Miraak along with everyone else at the temple had their heads arched up, it seemed they were all quite used to this but Miraak was glued to it, he was so preoccupied that he muttered to himself,

"So Herma Mora forgot to tell me some details upon my return..." The Dunmer girl, he still had not bothered to learn her name, began to speak. Miraak partially listened but was focused on the sun.

"That is why we cannot go to Skyrim Master. That is Vallis, he is a vampire who has taken over Skyrim with the legendary Auriels bow, anyone who steps foot in Skyrim is killed instantly by vampires."

Miraak was not at all afraid and he still stared at the suns red-darkness, that was until the girl continued,

"he is also a false prophet master, he is called the last Dragonborn. But we all know that you are the true Dragonborn." Miraak heard this and his heart skipped a beat, he knew that the only way dragons could return is Alduin, he knew that Alduin was dead and the only one capable of killing him was a Dragonborn. This was something he could never do back in his time. This Dragonborn, this Vallis, Miraak had his first sense of fear for a long time, but he hid it. He had to sound strong.

Just at that moment a large explosion was heard and smoke was seen from the south of the island. Miraak asked, still in fear at this new found information,

"Wh...What was that?" Everyone was now looking at the smoke and the Dunmer girl said in a distracted manner,

"Master...They are here...Vampires...They must know of you."

Miraak was getting angry, he started to scream his thoughts as he called Sahrotaar,

"SO! THIS DRAGONBORN THINKS HE CAN STOP ME WITH SOME LACKEYS?! WE WILL DEFEND MY ISLAND! THEN I WILL RIP THIS DRAGONBORNS HEART OUT AND FEED IT TO HIM! TAMRIEL WILL FACE MY WRATH! Sahrotaar! Followers! Meet me at the spot of the smoke!"

Present

Miraak stood there, the Illusionist in his sight and anger fueling his actions, this was one emotion that he always kept, it was his strongest. Once all of his followers joined him, and once all of the Illusionists vampires stood back up and joined him, they simply waited, waited to see who would make the first move. The Illusionist was a man who tried to avoid conflict and manipulate others to do it for him. He spoke first noticing the attire of Miraak and his followers. He began to laugh, he looked at his vampires to signal that they join him, they all did just that. Miraaks rage getting even worse,

"Hahahahahahahah! Oh by Molag Bal, that is very humorous...What are all of you supposed to be?! Hahahah!" The Illusionist commented while backing up a little.

Miraak told them, "I am Miraak, the First Dragonborn, this is my island and I intend on wiping all intruders from its surface, this includes you mage."

Miraak then went on one knee and placed his fist on the ashy sands of the beach, he looked up and shouted,

"WULD NAH KEST!" (whirlwind sprint)

As fast as a hurricanes blow, with the force of a hammer to the stomach, Miraak charged, fist first into the Illusionist, they both went into the warm waters of Solstheim. The rest began to fight.

Ram noticed this, once the Dunmer woman finished healing his burnt back, he ran over to the unconscious Teldryn and picked him up in his arms, blood still coming from his head. He yelled at the Dunmer woman,

"Come on! We need to get him in Fort Frostmoth!" They didn't hesitate, although Ram was still burnt a little, his grey scaly skin now a light red, it was hard for him. As they ran to the doors the Argonian asked the masked Dunmer woman,

"I'm Ram-Sei, you?" He cringed as he could feel some of the burn wounds bleeding, he could also feel some ash or sand had entered and it was extremely painful. The woman was sprinting and he she responded,

"I am Nummuamsi Kutebani..."

The Argonian had to process that, he had never heard a name like that before, it was strange to hear it.

She laughed and said, "don't worry, I know its hard to remember, just call me Nummu for short."

The Argonian nodded as Teldryn was starting to feel heavier on his body,

"trust me, with a name like that, I will. So anyways, are you with that masked guy?" He adjusted so Teldryn was positioned better in his tired arms.

"Yes, he is my lord, Miraak, the true ruler of Solstheim. I am the leader of his cult."

Ram couldn't really respond to that, he wasn't sure if this Miraak was good or bad, regardless, he saved his life so he was grateful. Some Dawnguard soldiers ran by the two, it seemed that they were going to go and join Miraak fighting the Illusionist.

A woman passed by and Ram stopped, so did she. Her name was Thales Rosewhite, a headstrong and cocky Nord woman in her mid twenties, she was a warrior part of the Dawnguard. Ram was actually easily annoyed of her at times due to her stereotypical Nord nature and her pride. But he could tell right now, past her steel plate armor, past the war like nature as he saw into her blue eyes, she knew that the vampires were here. She asked, seemingly out of her usual eagerness to fight, this time there was a sense of the unknown,

"Ram? What is going on? First the Oblivion gate, the sky turning green, The vampires are they here?! Who is this oddly dressed person?" She was so lost in the situation, making eye contact with Nummu, it wasn't as if Ram could help her, he was almost as confused as she was.

Ram knew Teldryn wouldn't make it so he had to be as brief as possible, "Listen, the Illusionist is here? Okay! Don't freak out, there is some masked guy fighting him named Miraak..." He saw that just mentioning the Illusionist was enough to trigger her instinct to fight but he had to convince her otherwise,

"Listen Thales! I need you to bring me to the boss! Teldryn here is dying and I need to alert him of the situation." She simply muttered out, almost breathless.

"Did you say M...Miraak?" She obviously knew who he was but Ram had no time for this,

"THALES!"

"Alright! Alright, lets go lizard!" He ignored that name as he had become used to it, Thales had a tendency for giving people nick names as to tease them a little.

They were running they entered the fort in full motion and ignored everyone else who was staring at the three blazing by. Soldiers were running past as well. They made it upstairs into the conference room, that was where the leader of the Dawnguard was expected to be. The place was still quite filthy but the Dawnguard had more pressing matters then actually cleaning up. When they got to the top, the round room which was covered in moss and ash was almost empty, there were a few soldiers suiting up for battle but no sign of the boss. Ram cried out,

"Damn it! Where is he!?" His eyes scanned the room until he saw someone pacing over to them. Shimmer Frost-Wind. She was a half Nord half Altmer, the pale and blond haired woman stood among them arms crossed, waiting for an explanation. Her hair was very long, down by her waist, her mage robes concealed most of it though. Most would consider her Breton, but she labeled herself as Nord, as she was raised in Nordic culture. She had both characteristics of both, pointed ears blue almond shaped eyes, Nordic blond hair and a Nords lean and muscular body. She never had an easy life, due to war and the fact that she was a hybrid of both man and mer, she often had little to no friends and was bullied quite a bit. Ram could understand this, but she was quite bossy and at times arrogant due to her High Elf lineage. One of the cofounders of the new Dawnguard. When she saw Ram holding the blood dripping Teldryn, Thales and a Cultist as well, she had to ask in her usual bossy tone as she placed her hand on her face rubbing her eyes.

"(sigh) Ram, I don't know what sort of drama you have gotten yourself into, but in the past forty minutes we have had an Oblivion gate open, and vampires docking on the beach, so please be brief..." She rolled her eyes a little. She had no concern for Ram-Sei's problems.

The argonian was getting tired so he placed Teldryn on a nearby bed, Thales went to tend to his wounds. Ram just stared into the eyes of his leader or "boss" as she thought herself to be. He just said briefly,

"Look, the Illusionist is here, some guy named Miraak came from the Oblivion gate, he and The Illusionist are currently in conflict."

She ignored all those other things as her voice became full of regret and sympathy, "Is...Is Serana with them?"

Unlike most, Shimmer did not hate Serana. She had experiences in her past, she knew Serana was a good hearted person despite being a vampire, but Vallis had corrupted her. Ram knew this so his voice sort of dimmed down a little as he responded,

"No, but we have..." He was interrupted by a tired sounding male voice.

"I knew it would come to this."

A man emerged from the shadows of the fort, he wore expert mage robes and a hood to go with it. It was him, the boss, the leader of the new Dawnguard.

"Vallis, that coward hasn't changed since he was a child I see..." The mans voice filled with sorrow and buried anger.

Nammu finally said something after being quiet all this time, she asked out of curiosity,

"how could you know what Vallis was like as a child?" Her arms folded.

The man emerged and pulled down his hood, he was a Nord, his blonde hair was cut short but his face defined stress. He was in his late twenties but he looked like he was forty. Bags under his eyes, slouching, he has not gotten much sleep. But everyone listened to him respond to the cultist.

"I know what was like as a child because...that man was once my brother."

The room went silent once more but he continued, his hand raised out as he went to go and shake hands with Nammu,

"Welcome the Dawnguard Cultist, my name is Jon."

Authors Notes

Leave a review, thanks for reading and to those who sent in characters, and the next chapter will be Miraak vs the Illusionist. So it seems Miraak has begun to start feeling emotions once more, let us see how this unfolds.


	7. Chapter 7

College of Winterhold The Midden

The piece of chalk had its own mind, the black board nearly covered. His fingers moving faster then he was actually thinking, his thoughts processing at a point where he couldn't even express it in equations or variables. This was different. He rolled the board, which stood on a wooden holder with four wheels, to his stack of books. They were neat enough, but papers were protruding from them, and the books were tearing by the seems. He got out his quill and began to record his findings, reading a loud what he said. His voice as geeky as it got, no sign of any real emotion, only focused on his work.

"Today a strange anomaly occurred on what seems to be the island of Solstheim..." He ran over to a map of Tamriel which was nearly destroyed but he could still muster up what he was looking for,

"North of Morrowind and north east of Winterhold. To begin with, the fluctuations have gotten worse since the gate opened, who or what ever thought it was a brilliant idea to do this now, is a complete buffoon. Yet...I can already feel it, feel it as if it were the air striking my body as I speak, whatever this gate did, it only progressed things further then they already were. By a Dwarves beard! I might have had time, (heh) the irony isn't it?" He placed his hands over his exhausted and freezing face, he almost screamed in it, but he knew it would serve no purpose.

His name was Omn, a high elf mage. He was more actually, he was a genius, one of Nirns most brilliant, on par with a Dwemer considered by some. His face covered in a rough shadow of hair, his eyes were shaped like any elfs but he always seemed tired. His bright green eyes had bags that made him look even more exhausted than he was. His hair a big blonde mess, it didn't grow long but instead made it seem as if he were wearing a mop on top of his head. He was not the arcmage, but he wore the robes of one, it made him feel more confident, something he could use. He could care less of his appearance though, his high elf traits gave him pride and a small ego, he thought he could possibly be Nirns only hope.

Like most of Skyrim he was in hiding, the College had been taken over by vampires long ago, but the Midden, which lied underneath, remained untouched. He developed a sort of lab in his quarters, but it was nothing like at home. His room was freezing, ice everywhere, snow everywhere. The look of his room was almost as similar as the inside of a prison cell, aside from a door.

He kept no bed, there was no room. He slept in a chair for a maximum of two hours per night, then it was back to work. Often going days without food, he might actually have died from starvation long ago had it not been for her. Her name was Karliah, she was a nightangale of the Thieves Guild, but that no longer exists. She caught Vallis trying to turn her into a vampire and escaped before he could kill her. She found her way to the the college to meet her friend Enthir, a fence for the guild. Unfortunately, once the vampires attacked all those who resisted were killed, this included Enthir.

But she found Omn, the very scientific elf, shunned by most, for a valid reason. He told her that the Midden was where he went a lot to do his experiments, the only reason she stuck around is because he said he could "fix all of this."

She was bored for the most part, Omn spoke in another language of variables, theories, conspiracies and non-sense like that. His chalk boards were always covered in something, rambles of black magic, dwarves returning, beings from other plantest... time travel. That seemed to be his primary focus.

Her Nightangale armour was tattered, ripped, it was a complete mess now. The once beautiful designs that were held, now nothing but a war damaged suit. Her hood remained on, but she pulled the mask down so her dark grey, smooth face could be seen.

She decided to go and visit Omn in his living quarters, if he was still qualified as living. But she stood at the door way and sure enough, he either was to infatuated in his notes to notice her or he just didn't care. His lab was a total disaster, papers everywhere, food stains, messy work stations, Omn. She could stand there all day but he wouldn't give a damn. She listened as he muttered various terms,

"With...Yes it is entirely possible...Elder Scroll...Damn Vampires...Damn Vallis"

Karliah rolled her eyes and cleared her throat to get his attention, without looking at her but still sounding busy he responded,

"yes?"

Karliah sighed, her accent was different from most Dunmer, some would find it strange, it was odd to here her words pronounced so weird like. Her arms folded as she leaned on the entrance of the wall, she wasn't sure if she was about to be grossed out, pissed off or a bit of both.

"What are you up to on your wondrous adventure today Omn?" Her eyes rolled

Still writing, he seemed slightly more focused on the conversation at hand though, but still made no eye contact.

"Well (sigh) if you must bother to intrude on me in such manners I will give you an answer, one you may or may not like. Yes, this is about one of my so called "theories" but you are wrong there Dunmer. A theory relates to the possibility of falsehood and possible unlikely events, what I tell you is pure fact my dear! Hahahahahahahahahaha!" He tried to make his laugh sound as menacing as possible and lift his arm up in the air, but failed miserably, when he wasn't in his usual work zone, he was an extremely overdramatic character, often pretending to be a mad alchemist or whatever.

Karliah responded sarcastically, "Well there is your nice charm. Besides Omn do not fool yourself, you think we are in...some world for someones amusement?! Do you have any idea how that sounds?!"

A smile went across his face, he called out to her, "oh my goodness karla, you see it is negative thinking like that, that will get you no where. It is entirely possible that our world is nothing but a personal view of entertainment to someone. How they see us I haven't the slightest clue, but that kayla, that is just a theory. AND THEORIES ARE NOT WHAT PROGRESS THIS WORLD! Ahahhahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa!"

Karliah hated that he forgot just about everyones name 4 out of 5 times, but she got used to it. At this point his whole attitude was not much of a surprise, she was used to it by now.

She almost chuckled out of his utter stupidity some times, but she knew he was just trying to lighten the mood. She let him continue,

"Anyways Karliah, today I have found out something that I have theorized for a long time to be (cough) that is right dear Dunmer, CORRECT! Hahahaa!."

"What is that Omn?" She yawned.

"Its all this! Haha! Everything! That Oblivion gate that opened on Solstheim its only progressed it."

"Progressed what Omn?"

He rolled his eyes as he turned the direction of his body to investigate some papers that were scrambled on his desk. "It would most likely benefit if I showed you hands on first, I don't want to sit here and give out a physics lesson, your small intellect just may well implode with such information, let us move outside shall we? Do not worry about the blood suckers, they won't see us coming and besides they will be most likely distracted." He progressed out of the stone cold room with a purpose, he didn't even care if Karliah was with him. But his persuasive attitude made it so he had no choice but for her to go with him.

The Midden stretched for a while into several caverns. One of which had a secret entrance that lead to a secret door just outside of Winterhold. The long tunnel had stretched, darkness, all held together by some old stone and A LOT of ice. The Dragon Priest who originally designed the building and these tunnels was intelligent enough to realize how important it would serve. Once the ladder was hit, Karliah saw Omn give her the most serious look he ever has. Past his goofiness and brains, he had a good heart and by the looks of him, he was scared a little. His voice was even more so. His intelligence, his wit, it all did not matter now. He grasped the ice covered bar of the ladder, it shook and some snow rumbled off. He told the master thief,

"Listen when I say this, forgot all that you know about Winterhold...Actually..." His hands rubbed his chin.

"Hold that thought actually, I haven't the slightest idea how old you are, if you have been to Winterhold in the past, keep that image at bay, now enough chatter, you are holding us back. ONWARD!" He grabbed the ice cold ladder and had to wrap his hands around his dirty mage robes to keep them from sticking to the sides of the ladder.

Karliah hated this Altmer at times, but she also found him to be pretty hilarious, his over dramatic behaviour and optimism was just another reason she stayed hidden with him.

As she climbed the ladder, snowfall hitting her tattered masked face, she wondered what Omn wanted to show her so eagerly. It was once in a blue moon that he actually came outside, so she was very curious.

As she neared the top, Omn's hand reached down to lend a hand, he very much wanted her to see this. As her gloved hands wrapped around his bare dark yellow skin, she asked out of angst,

"You know Omn, it is usually odd for you leave your cave or "lab" as you call that filthy mess of a hole. Anyways, I am very...I am v..." As soon as she hit the top of the entrance she stared in awe.

Her red eyes locked upon the sight at bay, shot open farther then they have ever been, not even moving an inch. Her heart skipped a beat and she almost fell over.

In front of both of them stood Winterhold, fully standing, fully built and lit up, no signs of earthquake or any destruction. It was back, the way it was before the great collapse. The bridge to the College was back in its full glory, bars, smiths, alchemists, farmers, soldiers, civilians, all living their daily routines. It was amazing, how lit up and vibrant this city once was, how far the buildings stretched. The depression of all that was before was but extinct, homes and happiness lit up the air, but it wasn't...right.

The vampires that patrolled the remnants of the old city were as confused if not more to the sudden reappearance of the city that once was.

Karliah didn't know what to feel, joy, fear, curiosity, all she knew was that there was a lot of questions to be answered for. Her expression was starting to dim down as she came to terms with the sight at hand. But when her head arched over to Omn she felt fear creep up her spine.

His face had worry, so much so, it was unlike him in his nature to be worried. She asked in a hurry,

"OMN! What is this?!...Winterhold...it...it's back! Ho..How?! By Azuras wrath! What happened? How did you know about this!?" He looked at her a little his green eyes giving a light scan, but remained focused on the city,

his voice full of fear now, he talked to himself, "oh how I loath being correct all of the time."

Karliah heard this and asked as they headed back to the entrance of the caverns,

"What do you mean?"

He stopped and laughed a little, he pointed back at the rebuilt city and unleashed his thoughts, his funny overdramatic personality gone,

"THIS! Karliah! This is one of my so called theories, this city, those people wandering about having a great time. They are not from here, it is bloody falling apart, and it is all Vallis's fault. Add on to whatever came out of that Oblivion gate and we just add on to the problem with ZERO hint of finding a solution at this point!" He marched back to the entrance of the catacombs but just as he got on the first step of the ladder he stared at the totally lost Karliah,

"OMN! I need more information! What do mean this is not from here?! What is falling apart!" She needed to know what he knew at this moment, no matter how ridiculous.

As he stood there, some of his drama returned and he laughed as he told her,

"Oh my dear lab assistant, Karla! The answer to your question is time. I am afraid that Winterhold is not from our time, but from the past." He stared out past the city into the direction of Solstheim

"I am afraid because of Vallis, time itself is falling apart."

Authors Notes

Sorry if this was "filler" but I wanted to introduce another character posted by someone, and a crucial plot point to the story. Because of something Vallis did, time is breaking and all sorts of strange events will now happen. I will post all the authors who submitted and who they submitted next chapter as thanks. Also, if I don't update for a while don't worry, I am quite busy right now so I won't post for a while (maybe).


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors Notes**

**So this chapter has Miraak facing off with the legendary Illusionist mage. The Illusionist tends to go into peoples minds and plant well...Illusions. He likes to take all of the negative memories someone has and throw it against them. We will be seeing Miraaks past a little as the Illusionist has to report back to Vallis. Also, what do you think happened in Winterhold? What is happening? Leave a review below. Also, I will be doing an origins chapter for one of the SYOC's leave a review on which one you want me to do first, only the ones I have shown. Or I can do another one about Vallis. Or Miraak?**

Pasts Unfolding

Miraak told them, "I am Miraak, the First Dragonborn, this is my island and I intend on wiping all intruders from its surface, this includes you mage."

Miraak then went on one knee and placed his fist on the ashy sands of the beach, he looked up and shouted,

"WULD NAH KEST!" (whirlwind sprint)

As fast as a hurricanes blow, with the force of a hammer to the stomach, Miraak charged, fist first into the Illusionist, they both went into the warm waters of Solstheim. The rest began to fight.

Cultists charged from the burning ash filled forests of Solstheim, they were all screaming phrases to praise Miraak. The vampires also charged and the battle waged.

Purple, blue and red lightning were thrown from both sides. firebolts launching and swords coming from their holsters. Vampires were conjuring gargoyles and cultists were conjuring seekers. The vampires may be stronger but Miraaks forces were much greater in numbers. The orange tone of the ashy beaches were turning to a light red, maces were being cracked over skulls and swords threw chests. Burnt corpses falling over and vampire lords now emerging. Sahrotaar stayed away from this conflict, he still found it amusing to watch the mortals fight each other, it reminded him of the older times.

Miraak used all of his force to keep the former Telvanni wizard underneath the water, trying to drown him. His hands wrapped around his neck, tighter than a vice grip, he was adding so much pressure he was sure he would win. Within an instant an icy spike came flying from the water and skimmed Miraaks mask. He was forced to let go and the Illusionist emerged from the abyss.

Even past the mask Miraak felt the right clenched fist of the Illusionists hand strike his cheek. Another came right after. Finally a small uppercut that made the Dragonborn tremble back a little. Miraak countered the mages next punch, he lifted both of his arms and began to push on the Illusionists, both were equal in physical strength, both were using all of their will to fight until Miraak said it,

"FUS RO DAH!"

The mage went flying out of the water and onto the sands of the beach. He bounced a few times, indents were being made on the sands and he finally rolled into an old burnt tree. He cracked the barely standing twig in half and it fell right on him. Miraak watched in pleasure at that sight. He walked slowly out of the water, his robes making it even heavier to walk. He walked past all the fighting and carnage that was happening around him, it was just like the old times in the dragon war.

He couldn't see the Illusionist under the tree, but he wasn't taking any chances either. He began to emit an orange aura, his arms moving out to his sides, now lit on fire, his rage fuelling it. He charged his spell and released it onto the wreck of the fallen tree, hoping to cook the Illusionist underneath it. The blazing blast of firing fury came very swiftly the tree was struck and all that was left was ash.

Miraak took a moment to breath after that spell, he should have waited a little longer before using all his energy on it. His jaw was also broken from the strikes, but at least he was nothing but ash. Or so he thought. Miraak breathed a little in and out,

"I probably should have saved some of my energy for these...these vampires..." He breathed heavily.

A purple circular shaped rune developed behind Miraak but he never noticed it, it lifted in the air and another rune came from underneath. The Illusionist materialized and he was standing from right behind Miraak. Teleportation was a hard magic to master but it was one of this old Dunmers many talents. His robes were covered in burn marks and ash, which he wiped away carelessly. His helmet was also covered in ash and it made it difficult to see, he took off the golden plate like helmet, he then snuck up behind the Dragonborn. Within one swift move the mage wrapped his arm around Miraaks neck and the other on his mask.

He fell back on the sand and began to choke Miraak, he ripped off his mask, throwing it in the ashy sands below and began to clench his gloved hands over his face.

Miraak was struggling but he could not budge, the man had caught him off guard and all he could do was struggle furiously. As the Illusionist used all his strength to hold him in place he pulled his head back, he then used his other elbow to smash it right on the Dragonborns throat.

The pain Miraak felt, he couldn't shout, he was hit right in his vocal cords. This man knew what he was fighting and how to disable them. It made Miraak think as his vision got darker from the lack of oxygen and shortness of breath. He tried one last attempt to struggle but he could barely breath. As his vision faded,

How did the Illusionist know the weak spot of him, had he secretly planned to do it to Vallis all along? Miraak was now in total darkness.

The Illusionist smiled, as arrogantly as he could he said to himself,

"I have you now my friend. Heheheheh." he dashed up to see the beach mostly cleared and Miraaks Cultists staring right at them.

"Master, HE IS INJURED! OVER HERE!" A swarm of at least twenty began to charge at them.

The Illusionists hands glowed purple as he made a circular gesture around himself and Miraak. The rune developed and within in an instant the two teleported away. The Cultists all stopped running, looking around to find their beloved master,

"MIRAAK! MASTER! GOD!" They were so heartbroken to see their saviour gone, who knows where.

Miraak opened his eyes, all that he could see was black. The abyss of darkness that was in front of him was strange. He felt like he was upright, but at the same time not. Where was he? He heard a voice, the Illusionist, basking in his arrogance and fuelling Miraaks rage even further.

"They call me the Illusionist for a reason boy. Do not worry, you are not dead...yet..." His voice was so annoying it made Miraak want to do something but he couldn't.

"I have entered your mind, I could create a world of my own here and have you believe that you are living in it. I could give you horrifying delusions and hallucinations. I could fry your brain and have it explode, I could have you go mad. But, I am here simply to gather information. That idiot "leader" of mine, Vallis may want you alive. By the gods do I hate that damn fool. To think, Miraak, the dragon priest a Dragonborn!? Hahaha! It all makes sense. Anyways, Vallis will be no doubt upset that I won't kill you, but that is because he is a coward, he always gets others to do things for him. He needs to stop staying at his castle, drinking blood, slaughtering innocents, all for no reason. He won't even summon our master Molag Bal. Who knows, you may even be the one standing over his corpse one day. But, I am curious of you priest, how did you get here? Let us take a look shall we?" His voice dimmed and a light filled Miraaks vision.

Almost in an instant, Miraaks head had a slight headache and a flash of light blinded his way. He was re-living a horrible part of his past. Everything around him was spawning from his memories, his vision cam full circle and he instantly could tell something was off. He felt smaller, his skin was smoother, he looked down at his body to see he was himself as a teenager. The Illusionist is making Miraak show him his past. That means that he was in his home of Saarthal. The carvings of his old home were waving over him, a massive title wave of nostalgia had came over him. He wondered why he was here, what was making him here. He wore his fur skin that his father had hunted for him, he stood right in the middle of the stone hallway of the underground city.

He looked over to see his mother running towards him, his young pale freckled face smiled at her. He was so glad to see that she arrived but that changed almost instantly. She was worried and screaming. Time was slowing down as Miraak soon remembered what was going on. He had to watch every little detail and now it was only worse to have to relive such a trauma.

His slim blonde haired Nord mother was waving at him, to follow her. Her face full of fear and angst. It was happening again, the moment of his life. He wanted to look away but he was forced to watch.

His mother standing at the hallway entrance to the rest of the city. His eyes filled with tears at his next horrific sight. There she was, within an instant a fast slice of an elven blade had gone right through her neck. The blade protruded from her now cut open and blood spewing neck before it was pulled out. The fine crafted blade was now covered in bits of blood and skin as it was removed from the woman's neck.

The boy watched in horror as his mother fell to her knees, blood flying from her body all over the place, painting the room a dark red. Miraak himself stood there, a mere teenager being forced to not only watch his mother be brutally killed, but also get covered in her blood as she stood on her knees.

He stood there trembling, eyes shot open, pupils dilated with horror, blood dripping from him. He was forced to look his own mother in the eyes as she collapsed in a pool of her own blood.

Behind her was a snow elf soldier his white skin as cold as his soul for what he did, The elf directed his hands to his holster as he saw Miraak directly ahead of him.

The boy was in shock, nothing but utter shock, he screamed in horror before running in the opposite direction a voice was heard behind him,

"GET HIM! KILL THAT CHILD!" He never stopped running, he didn't stop crying.

The ground became red once more as his footing was now nothing but blood, his sight nothing but bodies. Slaughtered, there were no survivors, no exceptions, all were dead.

He had to force himself to run on the bodies of his dead brothers and sisters, over them all. He was so frightened and scared, what he did next was so disgusting, he wasn't sure how he forced himself to go through with it.

He laid there with them, the dead Nord bodies, he got right in the large pools of blood and forced himself to lay amongst the carnage, he needed to hide from the elves. He waited and waited, hours went by before he made a sound or a move. When he emerged from the bodies, blood stuck to his clothes and body. He never said anything only thinking of escape, he had to get away from this place and never return again.

When he finally hit the doors he burst into the snowy wilderness that was Mereth, or Skyrim. He never looked back, he never stopped, he was barefoot but he didn't care either way, he pushed through even more than he had to, until his feet were gaining frost bite.

He was exhausted, traumatized and sickened. What better time to throw up in the snow where he stood. His knees trembled and he puked everywhere, for a good thirty seconds at least. When he was done he just sat there, in the thick white blanket of the snowy abyss that was Skyrim. His tears warmed his face, there was so many of them. He was alone, left to wander Skyrim, he was one of the only few survivors left from Saarthal, left from the night of tears.

Miraak was done with this mental torture, he used all his will and strength to finally muster up his ability to escape this hallucination. He screamed as he fought against it, nothing was important at this moment then escaping the Illusionists grasp.

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH GET OUT!" He forced his way until he saw a blinding light.

Just like that Miraaks eyes shot open and kneeling right above him was the Illusionist. He was expecting to see the sunlight lighten up his vision, but all that stood was the red abyss of darkness that was the corruption of Auriels Bow.

It was the first real time both got a look at each other, the Dunmers red eyes stared into the very essence of Miraaks soul. The Illusionist had seen a lot, his face riddled with scars, the tip of his right elfish ear had been cut off, stitching, and hair all gone. It was no wonder he wore that mask. The Illusionist smiled, it seemed he was glad Miraak could escape,

"Hahahahahahahahaha! Very good, you will need that to be able to defeat Vallis, will, an illusionists greatest enemy." He snickered as he put his hands on his Telvanni robe covered knee and used it as leverage to help himself up.

Miraak was less than pleased, he buried that part of his mind, those memories, his mother killed in front of him. The fuels of his rage were igniting his inner dragon. He sat up instantly, his throat still sore from his conflict with the mage earlier, but now he could at least shout. His lips shifted as he uttered the phrase of the dragon tongue,

"MUL QAH DIIV!" (dragon aspect)

An ethereal set of dragon armour, coloured a light orange and blue had encumbered his entire body. His eyes glowing along with the power as he felt its very force make him stronger, The Dunmer stood there, arms raised, laughing,

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! shall we continue Dragonborn?!"

Miraak had felt it, he only saw red as he uttered the phrase out loud,

"VEN GAR NOS!" (cyclone)

Like unrelenting force, the Illusionist was sent off of his feet, this time in a spinning whirlwind of snow and wind. He hit everything around him, trees, the ground, rocks, the side of the mountain. Breaches and pieces of bark lodged in him, bruised face and bloody stains all over his robes, like a ragdoll he went tumbling down the side of the mountain, every crevice, every rock, every tree, he hit. His body being torn like it was paper, a red stain was showing his descent.

When he finally hit the ground, his eyes stayed open. Immense pain was all over his body, when he tried to sit up all he felt was his back about to snap or break. He coughed up some blood, it stained the snow around him. He was able to muster his hands up and heal, did it feel amazing. The warm energy of the restoration magic flowed through the Illusionists veins, he stood up, almost good as new. He cracked his neck and tried wiping some of his blood off of him as well. His hands then glowed purple to cast an unknown spell.

"(sigh) heh, not bad. Perhaps he does stand a chance against..." His robes grabbed by a fist

Before the Illusionist could react, his skull was smashed into the nearby tree with enough force to snap it, bits of bark and chips of wood flew everywhere, pieces of pine erupted from it as well. The Illusionist could feel a steady stream of blood coming down his head, that was until Miraak turned him back on his feet. A few lands of Miraaks right fist were rupturing his elf face, injuring it further. He felt the glowing, armour, covered Miraak choke his throat against the tree his head was smashed into just moments before. The roles were reversed, it was Miraak doing the choking now, his teeth clenched and his eyes lit up from the armour. He was still very displeased with what happened before, he wanted to know. His voice full of mixed emotions and grief,

"WHAT IN OBLIVION DID YOU JUST DO TO ME!?" Tears almost developing in his eyes. He released some pressure on the Dunmers neck to aid in his ability to talk.

"Well...(cough)...I am very skilled in the mind...I can enter someones mind and make them relive anything from their past, or make my own version. You my friend...I see you were part of the Night of Tears...Well Miraak this was fun" Miraaks was done listening to his rambles, he knew it was time.

He held his other hand out, he looked at it, and a spell conjured a sword in his hand. When he turned back, his eyes blinked a couple of times. His arm had not been holding the Illusionists neck, it was one of his cultists, gasping for dear life. It was a Dunmer woman, a loyal cultist of his, seeing her master, covered in ethereal dragon armour, choking her against a tree, blood now dripping from her skull. Miraak was still breathing hard with anger, his arm still had this woman against a tree, his other still clenching a bound sword.

When he finally realized he was no longer in an delusion, he let her go, she dropped on the tree. Miraak suddenly realized that the Illusionist was not around here anymore, he lost him when he shouted cyclone at him, now he was either leaving or he was already gone, the person he just assaulted was nothing more than a delusion a trick to his mind, it was really a loyal cultist, a woman he had just brutally beaten because he let his anger cloud his mind and judgement.

When he took a good look at the woman, who was now dripping blood from behind her broken cultist mask, he realized he needed to help her. When he took a step forward, she uttered something, her soft voice pooled by her own blood that had amounted behind the mask,

"I...(cough)...I am sorry master...I am...I am sorry I displeas...I displeased you...I...Whatever I...I did...I need to be...I..." Her flooded voice stopped and she fell over, in Miraaks eyes time slowed as he watched her body tumble over and bounce a little as it struck the snowy grounds...she was dead, dying still worshipping Miraak as her god. Miraak just killed an innocent follower of his.

He couldn't process this. He shook his head, he blinked, he even landed a small smack across his face. He kept saying the words over and over as he shut his eyes violently then shot them back open, tears starting to drip...

"IT IS AN ILLUSION! IT IS AN ILLUSION! IT IS AN ILLUSION! IT...(sob)...It... .NOOOOOOOOOOO!" He dropped to his knees.

He picked the girl up in his arms, he held the innocent woman he just killed. He was sobbing uncontrollably, his armour also wore of at that point. He couldn't believe it, he would never in a million years care if he killed his followers, he did it before long ago for no reason sometimes. But ever since he escaped Herma Mora, his feelings, his emotions came back. The Illusionist used that weakness against him by making him relive a traumatizing memory, then by making kill an innocent follower of his who would have done anything for him.

He sat there, blood covering his ruined clothes and part of his face, sobbing and screaming at what he had just done, shaking the girl to wake up.

"PLEASE! (sob)...I...I can't handle these feelings! TAKE THEM BACK! I...I..." He buried his head into the tree that she was on, his breathing increasing, his face warmed by the moist tears of his eyes.

"AGHHHHHHHHHH! I...I AM SORRY!...I...I...am...sorry..."

At this point lights could be seen, all around Miraak, his cultists, the Dawnguard, Jon, Ram-Sei, Thales, Shimmer. All gathered in the now afternoon hours, torches and mage lights lit, they looked in confusion. Miraaks cries were piercing their ear drums, their eyes locked on the sight at hand.

he sat there amongst the crowd, holding the woman's body, he could not stop crying.

The Illusionist sat in the trees, invisible and injured greatly from the tumble down the mountain, he smiled as he saw the crying Dragonborn. He looked up at the descending red sun, and the moon rising.

He got up and limped off, he was headed back to Vallis.

**Authors Notes**

**So it was all an illusion, Miraak had just killed one of his followers and was forced to live a part of his past. How will Miraak gain his revenge? Will he ever get used to having emotions back? Next chapter he meets all the characters for the first time, see how he reacts to them. Thanks to all that have been reading, thanks to all that have reviewed a lot. It makes my day to see how many this story has :)**

**Special thanks to the authors and guests for the characters, each one is getting a chapter dedicated to them.**

**AssassinPro- unnamed Redguard (please send in name!)**

**MissFabulous09- Shimmer Frost-Wind (Nord-Altmer sarcastic woman, cofounder of the new Dawnguard)**

**Optiums- Jensea and Furian (not introduced yet)**

**Placebos- Ram-Sei (friendly Argonian slave rescuer)**

**SurprisinglyOdd- Thales Rosewhite (headstrong Nord warrior woman)**

**Magisking122- Valkush (not introduced yet)**

**Natebuscus- Omn ("mad scientist")**

**guest123- Jack (not introduced yet)**

**Hope I got em all, thanks again!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors Notes**

**I decided my next chapter will continue on my version of Miraaks past, than continue on with the actual plot. Unless someone reviews asking for a past about one of the SYOC's.**

**Vallis Knows**

His ebony bound hands scaled the new and smooth stone throne that was his. His body comfortably placed in his ebony mail, his stomach full from the blood of his latest meal and his mind occupied on what was transpiring on Solstheim. Next to him sat his queen Serana, he smiled underneath his mask at the sight of her, he wonders how things might have differed had he said no to Harkon, would Serana even still be with him today? (see A Hero's Journey).

She was so beautiful but managed to remain terrifying at that, her pale vampire skin and her bright orange eyes, it made Vallis's dark soul light up each time he saw her.

But in front of him stood another matter at hand. Down the small stone steps from his throne, past the skeleton decorations that made a small fence like pattern around the two, on the red velvet carpet that stretched for the entire length of his throne room. He loved the sheer size of it, how many meters it was, a dragon could fit in here. Speaking of which, a skeleton hung above his very throne. The room wreaked of Daedra, paintings of death and slavery, black carvings to Molag Bal. Vallis found it pointless, he turned his back on Molag Bal long ago, the Illusionist was another story.

A woman, she was in shackles. Her name meant little to no value in Vallis's eyes, it was her purpose that he cared about.

She was a very frightened young Nord woman, her long orange hair now a mess, and her bright blue eyes filling with water. Her head was ducked down and her arms folded. She was on her knees in front of two vampire soldiers. Vallis didn't even get up, the shadow that covered most of his upper torso remained slouched in, his arm emerged from the shadows to act like a mouth for his words, it moved with every sentence.

He tried to keep his voice calm on most times, but this also made him seem more menacing as well. He looked upon the crying girl with zero empathy,

"you there girl, look upon me." He asks only once, and expects only compliance. The woman however remained crying, Vallis being the impatient man he was, slammed his fist on his stone arm holder, cracking it a little,

"I SAID LOOK AT ME!" His message got through this time, as the woman got startled and she eased her frightened face up onto her king. His throne terrifying, it didn't help that he was barely seen. He also had skeleton candles around it, all emitting blue flames. When she finally thought she made eye contact with him, his red eyes, the only things that emerged from the shadows, he continued.

"Now then, I am very certain you do not know why we brought you from your husband at your slave camp. I will fill you in. You my dear are a great descendent of the Volkihar clan, which also means that you are technically related to the woman who is my queen." The woman's eyes eased over and looked into the blank Serana's glowing eyes. Vallis continued,

"You may think you are not a vampire, but the tiniest fragment of their blood remains in you. You are the only true daughter of the Volkihar clan left in Skyrim, you should feel honored. Now, the reason I brought you here was because I am giving you the privilege of joining my court. You are very special, girl." Her eyes squinted in utter confusion,

"Y...Y...You...You...What?" Her timid voice squeezing its way out of her vocal cords,

Vallis continued while still moving his hand, "you see, Serana here is a daughter of Coldharbour, she is the one who gives us this WONDERFUL sun everyday. Unfortunately she has to give up quite a bit of blood to do it each day, that is why I am going to make you a daughter of Coldharbour." The woman had no idea what any of this meant, Serana was giving Vallis a nasty look at this point as well, her arms crossed.

"You will be payed a visit by Molag Bal himself, and let me say...Your experience will not be pleasant, it will stay with you the rest of your life, you will be utterly scarred, I think you know what I mean."

When the woman heard Molag Bal, and "experience" she began to cry even harder, her tears flowing down her cheeks. She knew what was in Molag Bal's title, she knew what would happen. Vallis directed the guards, by pointing his armored finger,

"take her to the shrine of Bal. I will be there shortly to perform the ritual."

The vampires complied without question, the grabbed under her arms and dragged her across the carpet. She was screaming and flaying her tattered clothing covered legs around, she was in utter horror.

"NO.!NO NO NO NO NO! NO PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAASEEE!"

Serana had to close her eyes, she also covered her ears as the girls screams echoed across the entire room. The situation was a mirror image of herself back at castle Volkihar. She remembered when she found out about it, how she was forced to do it. Being dragged into the altar. She remembered the ceremony itself to the smallest detail, how indecent and degrading it was. Now she was being forced to watch a descendent of her family who looked similar to her, have the same thing done as well. She felt like her mother, while Vallis was Harkon. What could she do? She loved Vallis so much, she was brainwashed to, but part of her wanted to kill him at this moment. Her eyes now locked on him, anger defining. Vallis noticed this and asked with a change of character, his voice full of compassion,

"My queen? What troubles you Serana?" He placed his hand on her undead one, he truly loved her. Despite all of his evil, that was fact.

She turned her face away from him, her jet black hair swaying with it. It has grown much longer since she and Vallis first met, now down to her shoulders. Her voice was about to speak, for the first time she was about to actually talk back to Vallis,

"Vallis...I don't fell comfor..." She was cut off mid sentence by the sound of a Dunmer male approaching down the red carpet. It was the Illusionist.

"It will not work, I hope you know this." Vallis now had his direction fully on the Illusionist, his Telvanni robes, burnt, tattered, and covered in blood stains. His helmet removed, his bald grey head now exposed.

"Zenoth...When did you arrive?...What happened on Solstheim?" He scanned the injured looking mage, referring to him by his real name. Zenoth Baren the Dunmer or the Illusionist was the only mortal Vallis trusted.

When he got close enough to Vallis he spoke.

"I just arrived back, Alucard let me in. Now on topic. I am the only survivor of Solstheim."

Vallis stood up and went down the steps of his thrown, he had his hands on his masked chin, thinking.

"I see. So the Oblivion gate? What are we dealing with? Daedra? Who? Dagon? Bal?...Sheogorath? Ignore that last one." He began to pace a little, if this was Molag Bals doing then he is worried.

"No, No, No, no daedra. But I believe that you may find interest in it." He smiled, he couldn't wait to see the look on his face.

"Well what is it? I wanna know what was strong enough to kill all of my soldiers and injure one of my best mages." He was getting furious out of pure lack of patience.

"Heheheheh...Three dragons emerged from the gate, there was a man riding them. His name is Miraak, ever heard of him?"

Vallis shook his head he was now very curious, "is he with a daedra?"

"No Vallis, according to Nord legend he was a priest who served the dragons on Solstheim but betrayed them. I have seen his temple, at least twenty dragon skeletons littered the area. But...You will love this, I know why from facing him...I know why he betrayed the dragons..." He was almost anticipating Vallis's reaction in his mind.

"Just spit it out damn it!" His arms came to his sides.

"Miraak my friend, like you...He is Dragonborn."

Vallis stood there momentarily. No words were said, his red eyes shot wide open, his head twitching. Serana also stood up shocked at this point. He never said anything but the Illusionist continued.

"He has also taken over Solstheim, he has a small army of cultists who worship him. I went into a conflict with him, I could have killed him, but I didn't." Vallis eyes went to anger, he latched both of his hands on the tattered robes of the Illusionist as he got furious, while trying to keep his cool.

"YOU...You! You mean to tell...To tell me, that there is another Dragonborn out there...A potential threat...And you had the chance...YOU HAD THE CHANCE...to kill him?! But you didn't!? PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS!" He was twitching his left eye now, the Illusionist could see it under his hood,

The Illusionist shrugged Vallis off and walked back a little and turned. Vallis was about to explode so the Illusionist let it all out.

"I didn't kill him my "great lord", my "savior" because he is an opponent meant for you and you alone. You need to get off your cowardly ass and take matters into your own hands. Plus, you have betrayed my true lord, Molag Bal. You turned your back on him! Now you label yourself as some self-proclaimed GOD!" The Illusionist spat it out, Vallis was shocked to hear this from someone who he thought was an ally, not a friend, but an ally.

"I AM A GOD! I WILL WRITE MY NAME IN THE BONES OF NIRN! I WILL SAVE IT FROM ITS PURGE!"

The illusionist ignored his delusional beliefs and continued his speech, his body turned outside the castle window. A purple rune developing underneath him.

"That is also why Vallis, that ritual you wish to perform will not work. Molag Bal will not do anything to benefit you in any way, you betrayed him for your own desires. For that you are no true vampire, and for that I wish you luck on Miraak. Hahahahahahahaaaaa!" He laughed at his ability to finally say those words,

"I WILL KILL YOU! YOU BASTARD!" Vallis began to glow a red aura, he started to charge at the Illusionist.

The Illusionist smiled and lifted his hand a spell of fire rune landed in front of him, Vallis, his eyes glowing darker and redder than they have ever been, was to furious to even notice this. He ran right over the fire rune and the fiery of its flames exploded and sent him trembling back. The Illusionist smiled and turned his head towards Serana and nodded. The purple rune that laid under him, floated above him and he disappeared, materialized along with the rune itself.

She ran down the stairs towards Vallis, once she saw him however, she stood in place.

Red steam was coming from his body, he sat there, injured from the fire rune, rage now encumbering his thoughts. He lifted himself up and and unleashed,

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AGH AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" His arms and torso going back as he used his power of the thum to amplify his voice and break all the glass in the area.

Vallis had two very large 10-foot span black wings spring from his body. They were a gift from Molag Bal when he did worship him. They resembled those of an angels wings with feathers and everything, but they were as black as his very soul, more like a fallen angel. It resembles how he fell from being the hero he once was. As he started to calm down a little, his breathing still heavy, he muttered to everyone who was in this room, his mind now going slightly mad.

"heh...hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA! FINE! I CAN PLAY! GET ME EVERYTHING ON MIRAAK! NOOOW!I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING! SOMEONE FIND THE ILLUSIONIST!" He trudged over to the very large stone wall of his castle, both large in width and hight.

His shoulders along with his arms propelled back. Then, with as much force as he had, he landed a strike right into the wall. A large ripping of stone following a thud was heard. The force was so strong, his hand went right through it, and a very large crack had consumed the entire wall, one more tiny ounce of pressure may have the entire wall collapse. Serana just started to back away.

Vallis was thinking the exact same thing that Miraak was. How they were going to kill each other, how they could make the other suffer.

At this point, this is where it began. The war of the Dragonborns.

Authors Notes

Leave a Review :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors Notes**

**Sorry it's been a while, been paying attention to Journey, anyways I wish to know how you guys think about the jumps back into the characters past, would you prefer I leave it linear, or keep doing the origin chapters?**

**Now it's personal**

His blood soaked and now ripped to shred robes clung to his body like dry glue. He stood upon a recently dug grave of the woman he brutally murdered, he had ordered his brainwashed followers to dig a grave for her, no one even knew her name. Miraak had retrieved his mask, and he finally believed his emotions were at bay. He clenched his fist under his ripped and tattered gauntlet, he was free of Hermaeus Mora's influence, he felt less of a desire for hate and suffering, less of a desire for world domination, but part of him wanted to. It was hard to say the least, feeling only the most negative emotions for thousands of years, now being poured into the good. He now remembered his weakness, the events that happened earlier showed it, he had trouble letting go and moving on. For now that didn't matter, he gazed his masked face upon the two moons in the sky, how they brightened his thoughts, it was a much greater pleasure then staring at that red sun all day.

He put his fist to his side and one last time he muttered as he was leaving the grave,

"I am truly sorry." His voice showed sadness but at the same time hate for the Illusionist. For what he made him do.

As he walked through the dim ash filled forests of Solstheim, he noticed two people waiting on the tree. He stopped for a moment, his mask looking right into their hazel and dark blue eyes. He was feeling depressed, hateful, and a lust for revenge. He sounded like his old self.

The two emerged from the shadows, they were the leaders of the new Dawnguard, Jon and Shimmer Frost-Wind. Miraak looked at the mer/human woman with disgust. Jon was the first to ask, he pulled his hood down to get a nice breeze of the night air.

"So Miraak, you mind telling us just who the hell are you and what was that?" Jon wanted to get straight to the point.

Shimmer stepped forward now, her blue robes darkened by the night giving it an almost black texture to them, her long blonde hair swaying in the night air. Her bossy attitude and prideful nature were definitely showing.

"Yes, and could you please spare your sob story, we just want to know where you came from, and what you plan on doing with us here in your...well your fine dressed attire." She almost sneered it out as she folded her arms.

Miraak was less then pleased to hear her, "I sense arrogance in you, abomination."

She rolled her eyes, "you're one to talk, you've taken over the entire island, now you think we should serve you as easy? And how dare you accuse me as an abomination! This isn't the merethic era anymore, my type of people are common in these times, you better drop that Nord prejudice and come to terms with that."

Miraak didn't need this, he felt these two were beneath him, he felt insulted to speak to them. That and the fact they caught him in a terrible mood. He just started walking, he ignored that woman further. His mind was only focused on one thing. But suddenly he stopped, his boots firmly planted in the ashy sands, in front of the new fort Dawnguard, after what Jon had just said, he was forced to stop.

"It's not your fault Miraak, about that girl. It was all on the Illusionist, that is what he does. If only I could tell you sooner. Look, I only know legends of you, I know this island was once yours, but it won't be for long. We need your help to defeat Vallis, you are Dragonborn, Akatosh selected you for a purpose, perhaps this is it." Jon made his argument pretty convincing.

Miraak just stood there, his voice distracted, he stared at the moons once more and he clenched his fist.

"Believe me, Akatosh as you call him, he chose wrong. But regardless, I am going to kill Vallis right now and end this drama. For your information, the reason I was crying before was because I have been trapped in Oblivion since before the first era, I haven't felt anything but hate and pain since, my emotions returned in bulk, but believe me, it will never happen again. DO NOT THINK OF ME AS WEAK!" He turned his head and walked off, he seemed to want to prove his dominance by explaining his moment of weakneas. His head arched back and he called upon his dragon.

"SAHROTAAR!"

Jon and Shimmers eyes shot open, Miraak is going to Skyrim, NOW? They both ran behind him and shouted,

"WAIT!"

As the giant blue serpentine dragon made its descent on the ground in front of them, the ground shook and Miraak stopped and sighed, he was deeply sick of these people. He kept his back faced away.

"What is it now?"

Jon started to raise his voice, "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!? Listen to logic Miraak, I understand you are furious and want both of them dead, but there is something more then that going on! You will be killed, regardless of that dragon you have, Vallis is far too strong, we need to hit him strategically...Please, the Dawnguard needs you." Jon pleaded with the Dragonborn.

In almost an instant Miraak swung his hand back, he cupped it and wrapped it around Jon's neck. He lifted him in the air with one arm. Jon started to choke and clench Miraaks arm, he dared not attack him. Shimmer unholstered her silver sword, but Miraak used his free hand to shoot a spell of paralysis at her. He heard at least a dozen swords unholster and turned to see a few Dawnguard soldiers aiming their crossbows at him, and swords ready to strike. He smiled underneath his mask, his head arched back and he shouted,

"ZUN HAL VIIK!" (disarm)

The soldiers had a look of shock as their weapons went flying out of their hands towards the direction of Miraak still holding Jon on one arm. The soldiers started to raises their arms and back up, Sahrotaar let out a loud threatening roar and the soldiers went screaming away. At this point a few of Miraaks cultists emerged from the forest, also ready for battle. Miraak turned his head back to Jon, he began to speak,

"I could care less about what you think Nord. To think, this is what our people are now, pitiful, I am Atmoran, I triumph you. Be grateful I don't have your whole operation burnt to the ground, and be grateful I let you live on MY island...Understood?" He used his hand around Jon's neck to make it seem like he was nodding.

"Very well." Miraak moved his arm back and threw Jon across onto the sands of the beach, he climbed on top of Sahrotaar and told him,

"Come Sahrotaar, it is time we meat the newest member of the Dragonborn family." The dragon flapped its wings and made its way into the air.

A group of Dawnguard soldiers came in and were aiming their crossbows at Miraak, but Jon, who was still recovering in the sands by holding his throat,

"STOP! (cough) Don't shoot! DON'T SHOOT!(cough)!" He held his injured throat as the Dawnguard lowered their weapons, a little confused.

Shimmer was now up and ran over to the aid of Jon. She kneeled over him and began to use restoration to make him feel better. Her dark blue eyes were filled with anger, she looked at the dragon flying in the distance,

"the nerve of that Dragonborn bastard!" Shimmer spat out.

"Please, you just told him not to be prejudice yet here you are." Shimmer turned her head back to Jon after that statement.

"What do you mean Jon?!" She was slightly offended by the statement.

As he laid there and his vocal cords began to feel much better, he told her as he began to inhale and exhale.

"I mean look at the guy, judging by the look of his temple who knows what he has gone through. He is full of hate, but I sense good in him."

"How can you sense good in that fiend!?"

"Because Shimmer..." Jon looked at Miraak in the distance.

"I once sensed the same thing in Vallis...He will be back, after he gets to Skyrim and sees how bad it is, if he truly has a soul he will return, trust me Shimmer he will. I will be honest, before today, I...I never knew how we were going to defeat Vallis, I was losing faith, the soldiers ARE losing faith. But Miraak, I believe he is the only one who can defeat my brother. I believe that he can be the new symbol of the Dawnguard, he can inspire our soldiers and strike fear in the vampires and Vallis himself."  
Jon was speaking like a wise leader, at this point he was the only one who believed in Miraak.

As Miraak flew into the night towards Miraak, he felt it again. His judgement between what was right and wrong, he knew that what he just did was wrong, part of him wished he could apologize and return his actions. But he was fuelled by revenge, he was on his way to kill Vallis.

**Authors Notes**

**So Jon still has faith in Miraak, will he return and aid the Dawnguard?Next chapter I reveal two new OC's and a vampire. This vampire is both famous in anime, movies, and video games alike. My version of Alucard.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Authors Notes**

**So this chapter I will be introducing two OC's and Alucard. I would like to thank Optiums for the two characters. Warning, chapter contains small gore elements.**

**The rest of the family**

The torch glistened as the few that followed tried to huddle as close to it as possible. The tunnel was so dark, not to mention it was very easy to get lost in. Cobwebs, dripping water, strange sounds, this was the scene of a ghost story. But the people in it were not concerned of ghosts, they were concerned of vampires.

The arm of the torch was held by the only remaining survivor of the original Dawnguard, a young and now mentally scarred Nord named Agmaer. He dawned the traditional armour like the rest, crossbow on back, and arm at his side by his axe. He was put in charge of this recon squad for one purpose, he had full on experience. He was like the men and women who were with him now, scared and inexperienced. But desperate times called for desperate measures, this was as good as it would get.

The thought kept processing through his head, the memory of the first time he met the Dragonborn, the first thing he said,

"Oh! Are you here to join the Dawnguard too?"

Never in a million years would he ever know what was to come. The thoughts also came to mind of the genocide of his friends. Vallis himself, broke into the fort and slaughtered every last one of them. When it came to Isran, he brutally tortured him before leaving him to die. Part of Agmaer wishes he could have done more, but it was Isran who told him to run, he had to follow orders, or else he would be dead as well. Now, his heart lies cold, he lives in an infinite loop of shell shock and despair, for that reason he chose to remain in Skyrim and assist Jon in anyway.

They were a recon squad, they avoided conflict if at all possible, as much as they could, however they could, whenever they could. Their missions were to only observe the vampires activities, where slaves were being held, and any weaknesses. This time was different, this time they were spotted. Agmaer was ordered to do something he severely did not want to, he was ordered to spy on Solitude, the vampire capital and home to Vallis. They were there not two minutes before they were spotted by...him.

One of the six members of Vallis's court and probably the most ruthless as well. A monster in disguise, the man is subtle yet terrifying when it comes to slaughtering foes. Alucard.

His history is mostly unknown, some call him the son of Molag Bal, some call him the son of the first vampire, others think he just crawled out of Oblivion and lives amongst the living, legend even has it that some Aedra fear him. Vallis doesn't give him orders, he does what he wants, and what he wants varies. He was a man, but it was unknown if he was Nord, Imperial or Breton, he was pure vampire at this point.

Agmaer listened to the frightened soldiers behind him, these were just honest men and women fighting for freedom and for good against evil, he would be concerned if they weren't afraid. He was leading a squad of seven through tight catacombs underneath Solitude.

"I...I heard that Alucard just lets Vallis rule so he doesn't have to do all the boring stuff." The man slipped out behind his helmet.

A woman spoke next, "I heard that he can pose himself as a regular man and lure you to him." She was as frightened as the last man.

Agmaer turned his helmet-covered face towards the group, "listen, we are all scared, but these myths are not helping..." His spine cringed and his head arched backwards when he heard the faintest of whispers go into his ear.

"But what if they aren't myths?..." The voice was followed by a chilling breeze, it forced Agmaer to stop in his tracks.

"Uh...Agmaer is everything all right?" No one else but him heard it, although his heart was racing he had to remain calm and not start a panic.

"Yes...Uh sorry, just a chill, let's keep moving the exit is this way."

A sound was heard in the background of everyones ears, it sounded like squeaks, like the chatter of mice, hundreds of mice. It was getting so loud in fact that no one could tell what direction they were coming from.

In an instant Agmaer's torch went out causing everyone to gasp in terror. The mice sounds were only getting louder.

"calm down, it's a gust of wind! Were almost out of here!" Agamaer quickly lit his torch once more.

The mouse sounds were revealed however, there guesses were half correct however. The animals that hit them were the shrouded black, flying rodents. Bats.

They flew in the corridor by the hundreds and began to just surround and bite at everyone there. Tiny bites and flapping wings, people were being over-encumbered by the bites of the ruthless flying mammals. The chatter and sounds they made were even more frightening, Agamaer was forced to drop his torch as he to fell over, the soldiers screams echoed throughout the long stone hallway as the dim torch lit up their situation.

"AGHHHHH! AGHHHHH! GET THEM OFF! AGHHHH!"

"SCREW THIS!"

"I...I..I...I CAN'T EVEN! MOVEEEE! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!"

People were scared and forced to split up or be eaten by the vampire bats. Agamaer spat out as he was swatting away the beasts.

"DON'T RUN! THEY WANT US TO SPLIT UP!" He screamed hoping for someone to hear him, but it was to late, everyone had run into the many turns and twists of the catacombs.

At this point, the bats deceased and seemed to be gone, Agamaer was very afraid now, he was all alone, who know's what was awaiting him. He arched his head back and saw his torch, he turned his torso around to grab it, but he something.

Two feet stood in front of the torch, behind, them was a long blood red cape. The feet were armoured in something Agamaer could only describe as Daedric armour. His eyes almost didn't want to look up at what followed, but his curiosity forced him.

He scanned the armour, it was a light variant of Daedric armour, it lacked the bulky shoulder plater and it was thinner on the torso. It also had a design of a vampire face on the middle of the torso. His fingers pointed with the black armour that was Daedric, they were crossed at his torso. Agamaer made his now dilated pupils look even further up the man. He wore a black helmet that resembled the Dawnguards heavy except darker, heavier, better forged. It had black embedded pieces of red metal. And the eyes...By the gods, the eyes. They had lenses in them to further increase the vampires natural red glowing eyes. Agamaer was so fear struck that he could barely mutter out...

"A...A...Alucard..." He trembled trying to help himself up.

The vampire for now said nothing, Agamaer just froze as he stood in front of perhaps the most intimidating man he would ever meet. He knew he was going to die, but the thoughts kept racing through his head, Isran and his friends having their blood spilt in front of his very eyes. It was because of this memory that gave him the last bit of courage he needed, he didn't know if it was out of fear or out of bravery. Frankly, this was the best way to get into Sovngarde.

Time almost slowed for him as his arm swung down to his side. He unlatched his axe and gripped it with enough force he felt he could break it. He picked it up, in an instant he swung the piece of metal into the vampires left shoulder, there it remained.

Agamaers eyes were in total shock. Alucard did not even flinch or seem to acknowledge. That is when it was heard, the faint sound coming from behind the vampires helmet.

"hmmm...heh...heheheh...heheheheheheheh...Hahahaha hahahahahahahahahahah...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA AA!" Alucard found it hilarious that a mortal actually mustered up something to actually strike him.

His voice was deep, but at the same time it was comforting. He did not give off the appearance of someone who would give you any comfort however. He placed his daedric armour bound hand on top of the petrified Nords helmet. He spoke in an amused and soft way.

"Ah...you mortals are just so...interesting! This however is no where near enough to even remotely harm me, boy..." His last word became menacing as he ripped the Dawnguard axe out of his shoulder with his other hand. He continued,

"I do not feel fear, I do not feel grief or sadness, pain and death is something I welcome, I do not forgive those who shall not be forgiven, what you just did, that was just plain rude. I applaud you though mortal, I smelled courage in you a moment ago, but now all I smell is (sniff) FEAR...As I smell in all of my prey." His voice became monstrous as he almost roared out that last statement.

He applied pressure to Agamaers skull causing him to scream out in pain. His arms latching on to Alucards as he tried to get him to release.

"AGHHHHHH! AGHHHHHH!"

Alucard smiled underneath his heavy helmet as he told the now pain filled Nord. "Now now, you can't possibly be tired after that can you? I think we can have a lot of fun mortal. Heheha!" His voice gave off an evil charm, he could most definitely pose as a decent person if need be.

Agamaer spat out at the vampire, his teeth grit, and his head dripping blood as he felt the gauntlets claws seep into his skull.

"Do it you abomination! I WILL BE IN SOVNG..." He was interrupted.

Alucard applied full pressure with his vampiric strength and grip, just in a mere second, the boys head was crushed and blood sprayed out of the cracks of the helmet, the wall riddled with blood, brains and skull, his mangled corpse now dropped by Alucard.

The vampire wrapped his long cape around his body and continued along the path, stepping over the body,

"well, I guess I squeezed a tad bit to much, oh well, he was no different then most mortals. Yuk, what a mess this has created, this is why I feed in a much more civilized manner. (sniff) Ah! I see Furian and Jensea have found the rest, I suppose I SHOULD let them have some fun, hahahahahahahahaha!"

His whole body materialized into nothing but bats as they started to scatter throughout the corridors.

The Dawnguard soldiers managed to stay together when the bats scattered amongst them. They had heard Agamaer's screams and no one wanted to speak about it either.

Everyone muttered something different, "I CAN'T DIE! I HAVE A FAMILY! WHY ARE! WHY ARE WE FIGHTING! THERE IS NO HOPE! (sob) w...were all dead..."

"I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR RECON TO DO THIS! I DIDN'T!"

"Why even bother to escape? THEY ALREADY KNOW WHERE WE ARE!" All were struck with fear, all were so ready to just get back to the way things were, instead they were running away from the most dangerous man on the planet.

The halls were practically blinding with darkness, nothing could be seen, everyone had to walk beside the walls as they kept their arms following on it. They were all in utter shock. That was until one had hit something at her feet.

"uh...wh...what is this." She placed her hands down, judging by the feel of it, it was a torch. She got a match out and lit it up, now they could see.

She turned around with it and took a sigh of relief, she gave a small smile underneath the metal helmet and said,

"well, at least I got light, so what sho...what...guys...GUYS?" She saw that all of them were staring at something behind her, her body was shivering and trembling in fear as her whole body turned slowly to face whatever was in front of her. Her eyes shot open.

Before her, not two feet away stood two members of Vallis's court. Their names were Furian and Jenesea, two vampire lovers who had a passion for toying with mortals.

Furian was a Breton, he wore his hooded arch-mage robes and his golden eyes gave off a distinct glow as he looked into the very souls of his prey. His elven gauntlet clad hands were ready by his two holstered glass enchanted swords. He had smile across his pale face. His lover stood next to him, she was a Redguard, her name was Jenesea, and she was giving off an intimidating smile as well. Her hood was up over her dark blonde hair she wore leather armour and her eyes also had a golden gleam to it. She was the first to speak in a soft but arrogant way,

"so Furian, it seems our guests here are a little lost. What shall we do to assist them?" She asked as obviously sarcastic as she could

"Hmmmmmm, that is a good question my love. I am quite terrible at giving directions, but I know one good place we can send them! I believe it is called...heheheheh...well as the mortals say, the afterlife!" The two pounced forward in a rhythm, they were like a pattern.

Alucard waited outside of the hidden catacombs exit, he leaned against the stone walls that faced towards the marsh lands and eventually Morthal. He looked at his clawed fingers and sighed, he still had blood and guts in them, he sighed in disgust,

"I know I am a vampire, I know I shouldn't be picky, but I like my meals fresh." He turned his head back as he heard the screams of both men and women alike.

They were being killed by the two vampires, slaughtered actually. He smiled at the sounds of bones breaking and blood splattering. But in an instant, the commotion stopped, he commented a little disappointed,

"ah really? It was just getting good." He awaited the couples return.

They both emerged outside, taking deep breaths and licking all the blood they had on them off. Their teeth showed more obviously then usual, Alucard commented at the sight of the two as he shook his head,

"well, you two definitely look like you had fun." He stared at the still breathless two.

Jenesea said something first as she licked her fingers and breathed intently, "there is no beating the traditional way to feed...It's so, thrilling..."

Furian smiled as he agreed, "I know right...I mean the smell of fear and submission, it is like our inner connection to Molag Bal has been unleashed."

Alucard smiled, the two were old, but they still acted the ages they were stuck at. He looked up at Solitude,

"well I suppose we should return back up to Solitude, report to Vallis. He hasn't been in the most pleasant of moods this past day."

The three were getting ready to make their way up to headquarters. That was until Alucard heard the faintest of sounds. He stopped in his tracks and his head spun around into the night sky, his eyes opened as he noticed something getting dangerously close, something he has yet to see with his own eyes,

"D...Dragon..."

But as the blue creature roared in the night sky, no one noticed who was behind it, riding it. Miraak, the Dragonborn was in Skyrim.


	12. Chapter 12

Authors Notes

Well, I was lucky enough to get some free time.

First Impressions

The wind filled his mind with blank expressions and unknown feelings. He struck perhaps the only the person he knew could help him at the time. What to do now? Other then enjoy the cool night breeze as its wind filled his lungs. Miraak loved this, having spent all that time in the acid filled pits of Oblivion, finally a moment of peace. But when his mind finally came to terms with reality he spoke out loud. To his big blue, flying, lizard like companion Sahrotaar.

"This is a frightening world my friend, one that has seen a much greater amount of threats and danger then I could have ever conceived. Ruling it...It may take a greater amount of effort then I once thought. Out of everything I have seen, out of everything I have experienced, one thing stays the same. The amount of hate and suffering has never changed. This Vallis, this final Dragonborn, he has defeated Alduin...Something I was to much of a coward to do, but I never admitted it. I can already see that he is how I am. He has done what I already aimed to goal, with Auriels bow it seems. If I can kill him, Skyrim will be mine to rule, first rule of order, death of all vampires. But, that may be just thinking out loud, those members of the Dawnguard on Solstheim, they truly seemed as if they wanted to assist me, but I don't need them, I don't need anyone anymore." Miraak monologued to himself as the dragon flew right over Skyrim.

They were above the clouds, the only thing that could be seen in the night sky was the tip of High Hrothgar. Miraak commanded to Sahrotaar.

"Land there on the tip of that mountain...The throat of the world." He remembered hearing about how it all ended there on that mountain.

"Of course master, I believe that Alduin's brother, Parthurnaxx took refuge on that mountain peek." The dragons head turned to talk to Miraak.

"Ah! The one who showed man the gift of the thum, and initiated the revolution. I wonder what his state is?" The dark blue dragon started slow down his wing speed.

Sahrotaar glided in the night wind, like a big blue bullet, the decent was fast, but the beast flapped its wings to initiate a land on the mountain.

Miraak took his foot off and his boots touched the icy tip of the mountain, the snow made a large indent as Miraak put more weight into it. He took in a relaxing breath once more, maybe he would be able to see the state of Skyrim from this angle. He turned his head back to Sahrotaar,

"I will see if I can find Parthurnaxx or anyone else, you do some high flying recon, I will shout if I need you. I will be awaiting information." Miraak was demanding in that statement, but he kept his usual blank deep tone.

The deep voice of the dragon echoed on the mountain top, "of course master."

Miraak turned and felt the wind blast him as the dragon began to flap his large scaly wings and sore into the air. Miraak was left on the peak alone. He took a moment to admire the scene, he could see in all directions perfectly in the night air, but nothing below the clouds. He removed his mask, and pulled down the hood it was attached to. He said to himself,

"stuck in Apocrypha all this time, losing my mind time and time again, not even sure I would ever see the light of day again. I watched and watched, took what I needed from history, and I managed to hold on because of my want for vengeance and want for domination. But I realize now, that standing right here, this is what I truly wanted. Just to live again." He was compassionate in his speech to himself, he took in the beauty of the sight a little longer, the air hitting his bare face, he put his mask back on and made his way down the mountain.

He saw a word wall, it was destroyed partially and covered in snow. He stood in a large circular shaped section of the mountain. He nodded his head,

"this is where it happened, I see now. This is where Alduin was banished with the scroll I gave Hakon. I never would have known he would return. Now, to find Parthurnaxx." Miraak tried to read the word wall but it was destroyed for the most part.

He turned his body from the destroyed word wall and noticed things were getting odd. As he walked he noticed random assortments of tattered clothing, weapons, and armour scattered around the area. Along with a few frozen over corpses.

Miraak approached one, his hands were around his back as he used his foot to turn over the snow and ice covered corpse. He saw it was a vampire and he muttered to himself,

"hmmm, interesting." He continued to follow the pattern of carnage, dead vampires everywhere, some were even in pieces.

Miraak walked in an orderly fashion, his hands locked with each other as he avoided each body he crossed. But he was forced to stop at the sight of the next scene. This was no vampire. He turned over the body to see, that the top half was frozen over but it was evident that this man was burnt to death. He was an elderly man, he wore monk style gray robes with unique Nordic designs to them. He commented in a questioning manner,

"so this was a greybeard, I see. I wonder what happened." He asked himself questioningly.

He walked a little further to see dozens and dozens of dead bodies, mostly vampires. He saw another dead greybeard with an ebony sword empaled through his heart. Beside that one was another greybeard cut in half. Frozen dry blood riddled the area.

He told himself after investigating the area. "Whatever happened here, it was at least a month ago judging on the bodies conditions."  
Miraak actually used some of the knowledge he learned in Apocrypha.

The Atmoran was so used to this kind of carnage he was able to ignore it for the most part. The snow getting denser, his feet making larger imprints. But what he saw next made him stop.

In front of his masked eyes were at least fifty more burnt to a crisp, and now frozen, vampire corpses. But behind them was what made his eyes open. He took his mask off and dropped it in the snow,

"damn you Vallis." He was disgusted at the scene.

In front of him was a large, dead, and decaying frozen dragon corpse. It lied on its backside. It was rotting in the snow, burn marks, cuts, slashes, and other injuries were evident on this dragon. Large slashes were on it's torso indicating a creature of equal size was involved in the conflict. Teeth were missing from it's rotten scale filled skull, horns gone, jaw broken. A large frozen boulder had fallen on it's wing, it was pinned and killed. Whether it was dropped somehow deliberately or by an avalanche was unknown to Miraak. But he knew this dragon, he had seen it long ago, it's brown scales reminded him.

It was Parthurnaxx.

At that moment, as Miraak got a certain distance, the rest of the dragons body and scales began to disintegrate in front of his own eyes. they were glowing and turning to ash before him. Miraak was feeling a familiar energy flow into his body from the deceased dragon. He could feel Parthurnaxx's wisdom flow through him, as the creatures soul entered his veins. He closes his eyes and turned his head back, the feeling wasn't pleasurable, nor was it painful. Miraak killed and absorbed so many dragons, their souls, their life energy now part of him, he aged much, much slower than anyone. He was practically immortal in a sense. He could feel the flow of energy stop, Miraak looked over to see the skeleton of Parthurnaxx fall over. His soul was now finally gone, it almost saddened Miraak to see that the wise dragon would not return.

"Goodbye Parthurnaxx, what you did, freeing us mortals from the enslavement of Alduin, I wish I could have been remembered like you, but unfortunately, I took a different and darker path. I will make sure you do not die in vein. I will make that coward pay, he doesn't even have the courage to fight you himself, he sends his vampires, his lackeys. It disgusts me that he calls himself Nord." Miraak placed his mask back on and looked over to see Sahrotaar land in front of him, he blocked his body a little from the wind that followed the beasts flapping wings. He asked Sahrotaar as the dragon investigated the carnage of the scene on the mountain.

Miraak had a slicker and darker tone to his voice now, he had even more of a purpose to kill Vallis, aside from already wanting to severely. He clenched his teeth, closed his eyes and commented, still disgusted at the dishonoured sight of this.

"what did you see Sahrotaar?"

"I think it would be more suiting if I showed you."

"Fine." Miraak began walking towards the only friend he felt he had.

He climbed on the beasts neck and held on as he felt the large burst of wind devour his body, the dragon flapped it's large wings and began to make it's descent into the clouds below. The deep voice of the dragon made spoke as clearly as he could while they made the descent into Skyrim.

"I will stay far enough above the ground so you can see what is transpiring on the grounds below, but I will also remain high enough so you can see."

"Alright." Miraak commented not sure what to expect.

Finally, they were past the clouds, but part of Miraak wished he stayed above them after the sight that he saw on Skyrim's grounds. The overcast night time climate, gave it an even more disturbing feeling. Miraak wasn't sure how to comprehend the sight. The air even got heavier and smoggier, this wasn't right.

As Sahrotarr soured above, Miraak kept peering over to investigate and analyze what he could. The main word that came to mind was tyranny.

Slaves were tied by chains and forced to do a variety of horrendous acts. This included gladiator fights, building monuments, farming, being killed, tortured, and treated like utter garbage. Some were dying on the spot, they were all malnourished, starving, thirsty. Men, women, children, it didn't matter who, all were forced to work until they couldn't work anymore. Vampires laughed as they toyed with them, some were even feasting on random body parts of their slaves. The grounds were black, fire and debris was everywhere, no sign of life was evident, even the slaves appeared to be undead. Animals were nothing but rotting corpses in the wild, the soil itself seemed to be dead. Trees were nothing but black and dead husks, they were getting no nutrients from lack of sunlight. The land was twisted evil, how was this Skyrim? This looked like a part of Coldharbour made it's way into Skyrim. As Miraak glued his eyes to the horrendous sight, he was hit with flashbacks and realization. He remembered his time as a priest back on Solstheim, he had his own slaves. He remembered them being tortured into building his temple, starving and beaten to death, the exact same sight that was being unfolded in front of his eyes. He remembered even slaughtering innocents in droves just because he could, for no reason. It was all Herma Mora's fault, all that damn books fault.

But as Miraak's eyes seemed to be focused on the back of the dragon he was on, his face utterly confused yet at the same time full of realization, he only thought to himself, as if someone was saying it to him, clear as day.

"Is this what I want?"

People were being tortured, killed, starved, beaten, and treated like less than dirt. Miraak wanted Tamriel to be his, he wanted to make an empire in his name. But in order to achieve that, would he have to do something like this? Would this exact thing happen. Was he just as evil as Vallis? No. Being free of that book, being free of that demon brought the good back out in Miraak, but it still left him confused, he was lost. Herma Mora was the only thing he had, those negative emotions also, he didn't know what he was supposed to do now.

"AGHHHGHHHHHHH! What is this! Is...Is this me? Is this what I have to become? Is this what must be done? What in OBLIVION is going on! I thought this world changed? I...I thought this would be easy! I..I don't want this! I don't want to enslave anyone! I don't want to hurt innocents! I..I don't?" Miraak was in a force of self doubt and self questioning. He was just sitting on the dragons back not even looking at the sight at hand anymore.

It was occurrent to Miraak now, that he was living in this new world a lie. His body adjusting to the sudden blast of realization, he was feeling slightly light headed. What was he doing? What was his purpose here? Was Hermaeus Mora that much of an influence to him? Things have changed, he knew this, his want for world wide takeover was almost gone after seeing the reign of Vallis, this and making him realize that he was this at a time, Vallis was a mirror image of what Miraak was, and he didn't want that to happen again. If he wanted to be a ruler, he had to do it fairly, he had to get the peoples trust and honesty. But before he could do any of that, he had to free them, he had to save them. His face went from confusion to utter anger, only one thing was on his mind now.

He told Sahrotaar in a cold and menacing dead tone, he wasn't thinking straight.

"Sahrotaar...take me to Solitude, and get ready to say hello to Vallis..."

Authors Notes

I wanted to have a chapter that showed Miraak having a look at what Vallis has done to Skyrim. He see's Vallis is a coward, he has no sense of honour he see's himself in Vallis and it scares him. He finally realizes he is in control of his own fate, Hermaeus Mora is no longer a part of him and he is free to live life as a Dragonborn should, as a hero of Tamriel. Next chapter, Miraak fights Vallis and I introduce a new mysterious character.


	13. Chapter 13

To Your Other Self

Solitude, twelve hours after the Solstheim incident.

His armour clad fingers tapped impatiently on the smooth texture of the stone table in front of him. His head head lying on the backside of the very uncomfortable stone chair.

Vallis sat at a celebration party, one which he so desperately did not want to attend, but he already scheduled. He had to act happy and intrigued, but his mind was focused on other things, more important things. He virtually had no idea on what happened on Solstheim other than what he heard from the Illusionist before he took off. He did not know what to do about Miraak, what his motives were, who his allegiance was with, part of him even thought he could get him to join him. But if what Hermaues Mora told him was true, then that would not be the case.

His blood red eyes scanned his surroundings, he had bards playing classical music, fancy dressed nobles, his friends from his many guilds. All of whom were vampires. They all sat at a very long stone table in the castle corridor, the stone walls very large, the room lit up by the many chandeliers above. The thralls were dressed in noble clothing, tied by the neck and forced to serve everyone. Vallis watched in boredom at the sight of vampires getting mad at the thralls or beating them, or just in general causing a scene. He rolled his eyes, he wanted this to be at least civil.

His eyes boringly stared down at his plate, it had food on it but he wasn't really interested. Food to him now was very bland and tasteless, it left a feeling of emptiness in his stomach. He picked up his silver chalice and swirled around the blood on the inside, this was all he needed. He lifted up his Nightingale hood over his mouth a little and put his cold, undead, grey lips on the tip of the smooth cup. He devoured the blood on the inside, it was good, but he has had better, more pure blood. The blood of a dragon, was his favourite, but since they were scarce and since he absorbed them when he killed them, it was rare to actually get a taste.

He placed the chalice back down and scanned his eyes over to the left side of the table. Serana sat there looking nervous and innocent, she seemed overall frightened lately and Vallis wondered if it was his fault. He was hoping that by now, she would have fallen for him without a spell, but it seems it wasn't the case. Even if the effects did ware off, she wouldn't dare attack or insult Vallis, she was to scared to. Vallis just sighed.

He was forced to look over when he saw a couple of guards and a very confused looking General Tullius. Vallis put his mask back down and got out of his chair to go and investigate.

Tullius wore ebony armour, a red cape indicated his status in Vallis' court and military, his red glowing eyes seemed to wonder as Vallis made his approach.

Vallis asked questionably, his voice a little full of angst, "do you have news from Solstheim?"

Tullius crossed his arms and sighed a little, "we...uh..We have another situation going on Vallis."

Vallis rolled his eyes, this day just kept getting worse and worse. He sighed as well and shook his head while closing his eyes. He asked a little annoyed now,

"what is it now?"

Tullius pondered a little on how he could describe his situation, he used body language to assist him,

"well, let me put it straight. The destroyed part of Winterhold appeared out of nowhere, and suddenly disappeared again." Tullius was as confused as Vallis.

Vallis squinted his eyes, "what? Winterhold what?"

"That isn't all, now bare with me here Vallis, I am having a hard time believing this myself. But my soldiers and the majority of the college were witness to this. According to them, the citizens along with the rebuilt city had no idea who we were, they believed that Dwarves were still around. Vallis they didn't even know what a vampire was, they were dressed as Atmoran cultures dressed according to Tolfdir. They suddenly disappeared again in almost an instant, apparently they time leaped." Tullius hated explaining this.

Vallis shook his head, "time...leaped? As in they travelled here from another period in time? Like how Alduin came to the fourth era."

"Vallis, according to Tolfdir, this may happen again soon, unknown where and unknown how. I don't know what is going on, I have my men on full alert for anything that is out of the ordinary, but I have to say Vallis, this is beyond what I am used to. Sure there is dragons and monsters, but time travel? It seems like something that is only found in stories. What do you suggest we do?" Tullius really did not know how to comprehend the situation, he was a General and strategist, not some philosopher or alchemist.

Vallis pondered on this for a moment, could this be a result of the Elder Scrolls? Where will this happen again? How big this time? Vallis had to come up with something.

But all of a sudden Vallis and the rest of the guests diverted their attention to the main doors of the hall fly open. The music stopped and three familiar faces started running in.

Vallis turned over to see Alucard who was wearing his full body to toe customized Daedric armour and the two other members of his court the Breton and Redguard lovers, Furian and Jenesea. They were running at full speed causing some awkward gasps from the guests. Vallis face palmed himself, he didn't need a scene to occur now.

As all three of them arrived in front of Vallis, he shook his head and ignored their ridiculous behaviour to talk to the guests. Vallis put on a happy and pleased voice as he raised his arms,

"ladies and gentlemen! Don't be alarmed, some members of my court don't really have a sense of well...Neatness" He chuckled and so did the guests.

The music started again and the guests went back to chatting amongst themselves. Vallis went immediately to an annoyed tune and turned to the three vampires, he raised his voice a little, but not enough to cause a commotion,

"what in Oblivion is wrong with you?! You don't just barge in here like that and cause a scene! I have an image to worry about! I also have A LOT of stress on top of that!"

The Redgaurd vampire rolled her eyes and spat back out at him, "oh please! An image?! Seriously? Things were not this political when Harkon was in charge." She spat out at him.

Vallis clenched his teeth, "you best watch your tongue Jenesea...You remember I could have easily left you for dead. The option is still very open if you wish for that request, now do SHUT UP!" Vallis had no time for her non sense.

She kept her head down, she muttered something, Furian lowered the hood to his arch-mage robes and gave Vallis a bad look, but Vallis couldn't care less. Vallis looked at Alucard, now removing his vampire knight helmet.

His long silver hair was a mess and his face kept it's usual arrogant look to it. His orange eyes were what gave away the fact that he was concerned. The vampire smoother his hair with his gauntlet covered hand. He gave Vallis his usual arrogant tone,

"well, if your going to be like that Vallis I suppose we can just walk away..." He had a smile creep across his undead gray face.

"SHUT UP! What is it?! What is so important that you had to rush in here and tell me?! If it doesn't involve Solstheim, let me tell you Alucard, I could care less! Right now I have to deal with the fact that time is falling apart apparently! So drop that damn ego of yours and TELL ME!" Vallis was getting angry, he almost attacked Alucard right there.

Alucard just closed his eyes and raised his shoulders, "well, if you're going to act like a child, I would rather just watch. Just know that I tried to warn you." He was hiding something.

He placed his helmet on and turned his head towards Serana, he nodded, "hello my dear."

He turned into a swarm of bats and starting to make his way out of a near window. Furian and Jenesea smiled and also turned into a swarm of bats, they followed Alucard out of the window. The entire room went silent and Vallis was just at a boil of anger waiting to be unleashed.

"Ughhhhhhh! DAMN IT ALUCARD!" He put his hands on his face.

Tullius added, "didn't he say he tried to warn us?"

Vallis took in a few deep breaths, he paced a little as the entire room of guests were staring at him. Vallis felt like he needed to punch something, this feeling of uncertainty along with Alucard and Jenesea's disrespect towards him, was enough to snap a fuse. But everyone froze for a moment. There was utter silence for a moment, and only one thing could be heard.

The growling of several monsters along with sound of something falling, everyone was looking around wondering what it was. They were getting louder, faster and stronger. Vallis just whispered,

"what...what is that?!" He was a little frightened, his cowardly instinct made him want to run, but he couldn't with all these people here with him.

Louder, louder, the sounds of these creatures were so strong, some of the people were getting scared and starting a panic. Tullius and a few soldiers pulled out their swords, some got a few spells ready as well. The entire room was shaking, chandeliers were swinging back and forth, and bits of dust and rock were falling from the roof, it finally happened. Room shaking, cracks developing, vampires trembling in fear.

In an instant, like an a plague of deathly rock, the entire room came falling on top of the crowd of guests, the chunks of rock from the roof, the glass from the chandelier, they all collapsed on the guests. A large explosion was created and the sounds of dragons were heard. The shockwave sent Vallis back into the wall behind him. Most of the vampire nobles were crushed instantly, Vallis covered his eyes from debris getting in them. He blocked his head from any more debris flying into him. He could see bits and pieces of arms and legs, blood flowing by his feet. He coughed from the dust, and could only hear screams. The entire was room was clouded by dust, hardly anything could be seen.

Vallis could hear them though, at least three dragons shouting, the heat of the air indicated that they were using their fire breath to burn all of his guests and soldiers to a crisp. Vallis had to keep his eyes half shut, the smoke from the fire that was engulfing his castle was to strong. Vallis started crawling before he forced himself up and started walking, covering his eyes from the grey thick smoke that littered the room. He felt his side and looked down to see a piece of rock lodged in his side, blood dripping out.

He found the door to the main hallway, he kept walking, limping a little. He clenched in pain as he forced himself to pull out the debris, he shouted as he coughed as well,

"Ughh...Tullius!...Serana!... Anyone!" He was alone now.

He healed himself a little and kept on walking down the smoke filled path. His vision was so limited, sounds of fire and explosions were riddling Vallis's ears. Vallis overheard something in the background,

"FUS RO DAH!"

Cries of death and battle were heard, explosions and shots of magic, another shout.

"MUL QAH DIIV!" (Dragon Aspect)

He thought it was a dragon at first, but the voice was to light to be a dragon, he didn't know what to expect. Was this a person? Vallis kept his hand on the glass window that rested on the stone wall as he made his way down the hallway, but he stopped when he saw something. In the distance it was barely visible due to the smoke.

It was in the shape of a man, but it looked as though he was wearing a glowing armour. He watched as the vision got better, and finally the man emerged. The smoke was lied behind him as he started to place one foot in front of the other. It was funny, even though the sounds of destruction were all around Vallis, he could only hear the echoes of this mans footsteps fill his mind. His robes were a little tattered and ash covered, he wore a set of ethereal dragon armour, a mask was on his face and it resembled a dragon priest. It was Miraak. Vallis just leaned on the wall as he overheard his calm yet menacing voice,

"Ah, I knew I could sense you, your power, but you do not know the true power a Dragonborn can wield. You may have slain Alduin, but now, history repeats itself in you, you have done something completely unforgivable, and the punishment is death." He started to pace towards Vallis.

Vallis started to walk back a little now, he watched as Miraak got closer, he felt his gloved hands clench around his head and smash it into the glass of the wall. Miraak then repeatedly smashed it into the stone wall after. He threw Vallis into the other side of the hallway.

Vallis wiped his blood off his mask and spat some out. He had to fight, even though he was caught off guard, he had to. He turned to see Miraak walking over arrogantly. Vallis turned into swarm of bats and began to swarm Miraak, one by one he found Miraaks weak points around the armour and began to bite at him. Miraak's hands were on fire as he attempted to hit the bats with fireballs but with no success. The bites one by one were making him feel weak, Vallis was absorbing his energy. His arms raised and he began to conjure a storm of fire, it ravelled around him like a spinning tornado of blazing fury as he released his power upon the bats.

They all flew in pain and reformed as Vallis who was now trembling in pain due to the fire. Miraak shook off the blood loss and tried to keep his balance. Vallis noticed his sudden stop in attack so he took an advantage.

As Miraak shook off some of his dizziness, he felt an incredibly strong ebony clad vampiric Dragonborn fist land on his torso, he could feel it right passed his armour, passed his robes, passed his ribs. Had he not had the ethereal armour on, Vallis may have stopped his heart.

Miraak was launched into the smokey distance of the hallway, he landed right on a wooden support plank that happened to be on fire, a fury of stones was dropped on him, one by one he felt the rocks hit his head, his shoulder, his leg. His body was being butchered by the stones.

He rushed out in time before the entire ceiling of that area collapsed on him. He coughed as a great deal of smoke had entered his lungs.

Vallis could sense Miraak's presence directly in front of him. He bent down and got in a position as if he were going to start running a marathon. He jumped forward and shouted,

"WULD NAH KEST!" (Whirlwind Sprint)

He was propelled forward and a weakened Miraak wasn't prepared for a strike at that propulsion level. Vallis landed on top of him and started to wrap his hands around Miraak's neck. He smiled as he realized he could kill Miraak here. His fist came flying down.

One by one, Miraak was faced by a wrath of extreme pain as each incredibly powerful fist was able to harm him greatly. He however was surprised to see Vallis had stopped, but he knew why.

In almost an instant a massive wave of deja vu was felt, as if they had done this before, along with the fact that Vallis was now dressed completely different. He was wearing a set of dragonscale armour and the dragon priest mask Nahkriin. He was sitting on top of Miraak as he looked at his hands in confusion and his surroundings. Miraak looked around also, they were in Apocrypha, at the summit. Vallis asked,

"wh...what is this?!" He didn't even care about Miraak, he wanted to know where he was and why he had his old armour on.

A flash of light was felt and the two Dragonborn's were back in the burning mess of Vallis' castle. Vallis looked down to see Miraak was still underneath him, but both men were trying to comprehend what that was.

Mirrak wasted no time, he remembered a special enchantment his robes had, and he used it. In almost a split second, a fury of sharp green, slicing tentacles exploded from Miraak's body, Vallis cried as his body was sliced and penetrated by the force of hundreds of exploding tentacles.

"AGHHHHHHHH!"

The tentacles deceased and Miraak grabbed Vallis' hooded head. He head-butt Vallis which made him trudge back, Miraak then used his feet to kick Vallis' torso. He jumped up and got ready to fight. Vallis' hands lit with magic, Miraak pulled out his sword from Apocrypha, green tentacles swirling around it.

Miraak's head arched back as his throat shouted the chilling words of,

"IIZ SLEN NUS!" (ice form)

Vallis was encumbered in a shell of hard and frozen ice. His whole body met the chill as he felt he couldn't move. He never knew what it meant to be encumbered in ice like this. Miraak rushed over and picked the frozen block of Vallis up, he lifted him over his head and smashed Vallis' back on his knee. The ice exploded everywhere upon impact and Vallis screamed again, as he felt the immense pain burn through his entire backside.

"AGHHH!"

Miraak smashed Vallis' face on the wall again, and pushed him with as much strength as he could. Vallis lost his balance and he tripped over into the window. The glass broke and Vallis fell through. Miraak rushed over, he held his sore body.

"damn, that...that didn't go as planned" He coughed into his robes.

Miraak limped back into the main hallway, smoke filling his vision, he shouted,

"LOK VAH KOOR!" (clear skies)

The smoke in the room was completely dismissed, pushed back by the effect of the shout. Miraak looked at the carnage he created, his compassion was next to none since they were vampires. But he saw someone that caught his eye.

It was a woman, definitely a vampire, but he could feel something in her. Behind all that darkness he felt she was different than the other bloodsuckers. Her hair a very dark red, almost black, her skin pale white, blood dripping from her head. She was beautiful for a vampire. Bits of rock and pebbles were all over her, she gave a dizzy look to Miraak.

Miraak walked over and knelt down to her, he asked, his voice now full of compassion.

"What is your name?"

The woman's gaze was almost fading, but she could hear him, his deep and threatening yet soothing tone. She responded as if she were tired, her voice sweet yet clearly weakened.

"Se...Serana..."

Miraak thought about killing her, but he could sense power, will and good in her. This was mainly because he feared most of those things for a great chunk of his life. Vallis most likely corrupted this girl. He couldn't heal her due to the fact that she was a vampire, but there was something he could do, his head arched back as his mouth uttered the words,

"GOL HAH!" (bend will)

Outside

Vallis was falling in the air as his head swirled, had he not been caught off such guard that randomly, the fight would have already been over. But Vallis was already feeling rejuvenated as the moonlights energy was giving him strength, he was free from that burning building. As he opened his eyes and saw that the ground was getting closer, he sprouted his black angel like wings.

They flapped as Vallis propelled and balanced himself in the cool breeze of the night air. His hands glowed the power of restoration as he healed himself from Miraak's blows. He thought to himself as he opened his bag, and looked up at his burning castle.

'it seems I'll have to listen to Hermaues Mora'

He saw a large big blue dragon emerge from the fiery of a mess of his castle, followed by an explosion he used his vampire vision to enhance his sight, he smiled as he saw Miraak was on the back of it. He used his large black wings to meet up with him. Vallis had no idea how Miraak could control dragons, but once he had him under his control, he wouldn't need his help.

the blue wings flapped in the frozen air, the sounds of Sahrotaars growls and Miraak's heavy breathing. He floated in the air, his body shivering from the holes in his robes from the battle against the Illusionist, but the burns and bruises were his primary pain emitters at this point. He stared into the bright red eyes, of the man he hates more then anything, but hasn't even met. Vallis.

His large black angel like wings were sprouting from his back and holding him in the air, he said first, arrogantly, and teasingly, his armoured arms crossed.

"So you're the one who's been stirring up trouble over in Solstheim? The first Dragonborn, I suppose that makes us family! Ha! I can see you welcomed yourself to my castle, not what I was expecting but hey! What's mine is yours!" His sarcastic anger made Miraak clench his teeth.

Miraak sneered at him, "you take the name Dragonborn and fill it with disgrace, filth and purge, I was once like you, hateful and arrogant, but being free of that demon has made me see the light, and seeing how you treat your people! You spit at the Dragonborn lineage, you're no better then I was!" His voice full of hate and rage, he wasn't used to raising it like that.

Vallis smiled at his new foe, he chuckled as his jet black wings flapped behind him,

"oh how adorable! You see you may think you are the hero, in this little how should I put it...Well annoyance of mine, but the truth is, your not, you're just a man out of time, lost in this new world, you see here I AM in charge. I am the hero, I won't let some time travelling, stuck in oblivion freak get in my way, besides, heheheh, I have something. Something to my benefit, something I know you crave as much as I did." He believes he found Miraak's ultimate weakness.

Miraak was getting sick of this fools talk, he almost directed Sahrotaar to attack, but he didn't as soon as he saw what Vallis pulled out. His eyes shot open, his body was letting in countless emotions of lust and desire. Vallis held the Oghma Infinium in his hands. Miraak didn't care how he got it or where, he wanted it so desperately.

It was his poison, his drug, his ultimate weakness. As his body almost jumped into the air to reach it, he stopped himself, he realized that this book was always getting in his way, if he took it now, it would only result to one thing,

his downfall.

But is it too late to decide, or was Miraak already making the wrong decision, he was at an in pass.

Miraak was at a loss, his pupils dilated, his heart beat raising, lust filling his veins, what could he do? How could he have known Herma Mora's new champion was in fact Vallis? He clenched his fist as he realized he was being laughed at now. He asked as he stuttered a little, his head turned away from the book,

"ho...how did you get that?"

Vallis smiled as he realized he almost had him, "I am your masters champion of this time. This book is probably my greatest achievement. Like you, I used it to my benefit, to takeover, to corrupt and to ensnare. Lately, I have been talking to your master, he contacted me and told me of your...well addiction. Heheheheh, don't worry it happened to me to, but eventually like most things, it gets boring. I have an offer. Join me, take the Oghma Infinium and use it however you like. You don't even have to become a vampire if you don't want to. But just think, with the power of two Dragonborn's we can overcome all of Nirn, the Daedra themselves will fear us. You will have your wish and more, all your desires will be fulfilled, all you have to do is take the book." Vallis tried making his voice charming.

Miraak sat there, the sounds of the fire blazing in the background, Sahrotaar's wings flapping behind him and an offer he was battling himself on whether or not he could accept. He closed his eyes and smashed his fist on the back of his dragon. After all that time hating and lusting domination and revenge,

"...No..."

Vallis' eyes shot open, "wh...WHAT?!"

"I...Said...NO! I won't fall, not again, I will not fall for that demon, nor any demon again! I spent millenniums hating and craving to have my hands on that book again...And damn it! Do I want it, but since I arrived, since I got here, I remembered what it felt like to feel...Human. I will stand against corruption and evil and this means you. Now...You. If you have any Nord honour left in you now, then you will accept my challenge to one final duel, to the death. No dragons, just a good old fashion duel, I know you still do that in this time." Miraak knew Vallis was a coward and he knew that he was devastated when he said no.

Vallis didn't know what to do, he thought for sure that if he showed Miraak the book, he would have said yes, then he could have killed him when he was off guard. But at this point Vallis would be nothing but a true showing coward, and everyone would see it. He cringed his teeth and clenched his free fist while almost crushing the book with the other hand. He had to make it sound like he wasn't at a loss of words.

"I am surprised at your resistance Miraak, fine, one final battle for the first Dragonborn, then you can disappear into the history books as nothing more but an old legend, and you can watch from Oblivion as I conquer all of Tamriel." He sneered that last part as if he were bragging.

A few minutes later

The two stood in the centre of Solitude, they circled each other, staring into their very dragon souls. A crowd of vampire soldiers and citizens had gathered around them and Miraak's dragons flew above them. The crowd was cheering, as the moonlight lied directly above them. Calls from the vampires included,

"Kill him Lord Vallis!"

"Show him no one can attack us here!"

Miraak pulled out his stave and unsheathed his sword, he got ready for battle. Vallis raised out his arms, and Miraak's eyes shot open as he saw Vallis begin to transform a little.

His ebony gauntlets exploded and a large black clawed monster of a hand was underneath and it was getting bigger. The same thing happened to both his boots and his other gauntlet. He let out a deep and menacing roar as his wings shot out again.

Just at the worst possible moment, Miraak's ethereal armour had worn off, and he realized this was a terrible mistake. Vallis got ready to propel at Miraak, he arched back and used his wings to launch himself at Miraak, both his large bat like hands were in front of him.

Miraak just closed his eyes and awaited the massive amount of pain that was about to be unleashed upon him.

It was a few moments, nothing happened. Miraak opened his eyes and took a step back at the sight in front of him. Vallis was frozen where he stood. Not only that, but everything was.

Miraak looked up to see that his dragons were also frozen. Not only that, but everything was covered in a blue hue as well, as if all Miraak could see now was blue.

His head snapped over to see a flash of blue light, a blur portal of sorts was opening, lightning was spewing from it and someone was stepping out. A loud hum was heard and a humanoid figure walked out.

Whatever it was, it had large black robes that covered a very built and well armoured body. Miraak couldn't describe what kind of armour it was, it was jet black and it had so many engravings and craftsmanship in it, it put any other armour he has seen to shame. It seemed to resemble black dragon scales, but Miraak stepped back as the figure got closer.

It's helmet was another factor, it was shaped as if though it were a miniature dragon shaped head, it's large shaped eyes emitting a blue tone. It spoke and Miraak was terrified.

It sounded like fifty people were speaking at once when the being talked, Miraak couldn't determine if this was a man or a woman. The voices were both light and heavy, and they left a chill down Miraak's spine. the being wrapped his clawed arms around his back and began to speak cryptically.

"Tik, tok, tik, tok, tik, tok. Time. A fragile piece of reality, one that is not easily bent. But in this case you have seen that it can be done." It showed no emotion, but it was still frightening.

Miraak shook his head, he held the bruises that riddled his body, "what?!...w-who are you?! What do you want with me?! How did you do this?!"

The being seemed interested by that question, it paced a little as it spoke, "what a curious question, I have been known by many, but I see it fit that you call me the traveler. I have come here from a possible future of an alternate reality. I have come to warn you of actions that you will do here, as you just noticed while fighting Vallis, you were transported elsewhere yes? You became another version of yourself, an alternate version. The reason for this is because, this dimension, this reality is in a weakened state, minute by minute it is falling apart and you will begin to notice these things at a quicker pace. I am unsure why, but my senses indicate it has something to do with both Vallis and you. Therefore, you in order to truly save this dimension, killing Vallis will tell you what you must do next."

Miraak didn't bother to speak, he was confused and speechless, he questioned,

"w...why? If this is one of many timelines, why is this one falling apart? Why don't you let me kill Vallis here and now?!"

The entity lifted it's arm and a blue magic erupted from it's hand. It simply said as it pointed it at Miraak.

"Behold."

Miraak was flooded with a memory of something that hasn't even happened yet. He saw that if he fought Vallis here, Alucard would appear and hold him while Vallis tears him apart. Vallis would use his large monstrous hands to rip out his organs and eat them where he stood, the crowd of vampires would join in as well and he would be nothing but a pile of bone and bloody robes. He overheard the traveller again with it's many voices,

"this is the most likely future that will occur Miraak. You are weak, you haven't rested since you arrived from Oblivion, you haven't eaten, you haven't even thought straight. Miraak, the fate of this dimension lies within your hands. This dimension is unique, because in most others, you die, or have already been killed. I have already interfered more than I should have, trust your allies, trust your feelings and do not fall for corruption. We will meet again in the future, which future you choose is up to you." It's voices faded.

Miraak stepped back and walked a little, he didn't trust that thing. The entity emitted a magic from it's arms and it was a wire like material and a flash of light blinded Miraak's vision. Miraak disappeared along with the traveler and time un-froze in an instant.

Vallis opened his eyes as he went tumbling into the stone streets of Solitude, the crowd looked around as they couldn't find where Miraak had gone. Vallis put down his wings as his anger had raised.

His large bat-like hands punched a hole in the streets of Solitude as he screamed,

"AGHHHHHH! MIRAAAAAAK!"

He looked up at his burning castle, he didn't care about all the people who died, all he wanted was Miraak. But his eyes did get scared when he asked himself,

"S...Serana!?" He had no idea where she was, and if she was even alive.

Solstheim

Teldryn sat on his small fur covered cot shirtless and a bandage wrapped around his head. He had just gotten up and he knew he was in Fort Frostmoth. He rubbed his neck as he tried to get up, but was still feeling very, very weak. His head turned slowly when he looked over to see a strange sight.

A blue portal opened in the centre of the worn out, circular stone room, lightening was spewing from every direction and Teldryn covered his barely awake eyes. A very weakened and unconscious Miraak was propelled out and went flying on the stone ground. The portal closed in an instant.

Teldryn rested his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes, he muttered to himself,

"I didn't know I hit my head THAT hard."

Authors Notes

phew! Wow, that was a long chapter. So Miraak attacked Vallis head on and out of the blue and Vallis and him fought for the first time, Miraak used the bend will shout on Serana, what will happen with her now? A mysterious being from another dimension came to rescue and warn Miraak? Who is this being that involves time? As you can see, this is why the genre was changed to sci-fi and fantasy. THE PLOT THICKENS. I hope you enjoyed, more is coming!


	14. Chapter 14

**Authors Notes**

**So I wanted this to be at the end of the last chapter, but I already felt like it was dragging on so I left it to now, that's why it's gonna be shorter. Also, I keep getting reviews or PM's on my first chapter on it's current state, I know I was in a rush writing that, but I have almost no time writing these chapters, I will however edit it at some point. Next chapter will either be another Miraak origin chapter or Vallis origin, if you want leave a review on what you want to see.**

"In the early days of the Dawnguard Crisis, when towns were being raided, when innocents blood spilt in the fury of the night, the vampires feared one. His name was Vallis, although he is still referred to as such, the man who was Vallis is dead. The vampires feared the slayer of Alduin and for good reason. But on one fateful day, one day was all it took, everything changed. The day Vallis met a woman named Serana."

-Leader of the Dawnguard, Jon.

Choice: After the events of Dimhollow

It was still a days hike to reach their destination, most likely it would be nightfall the next day when they hit it. A storm had been acting up, a heavy and powerful storm, but as the snow fell at a rapid pace, it seemed almost peaceful. The calmness and quiet was enough to make you want to just stand outside, but of course the cold was a factor.

The two travelers took refuge in a cave for the night, for once there were no bandits, no spiders, no Falmer, no bears, no worries. It was so quaint and unnoticed that any one could have missed it, but the two travelers decided to take refuge on the inside. It was small yet so comforting, the warmth that emitted from it was enough to attract anyone on a cold night like that one.

One was a Nord woman, she seemed young, beautiful bright red hair cute face, pale skin, and eyes that would probably scare anyone who was with her in a dark room. Serana. Recently rescued from the pits of Dimhollow crypt by a local legend, she now journeys with him to be returned to her home that lies off the coast of north western Skyrim.

The other traveler dawned a set of armour that resembled that of a dragon, indeed forged within the flames itself, with ingredients that were almost impossible to retrieve a year ago, dragonscale armour. Vallis, the Dragonborn. His physique smaller than an average Nord, but he was indeed the most threatening man in all of Skyrim. He removed his dark and used Dragon Priest mask to let out his sweat and grease covered black hair. It hung below his eyes, and he adjusted it so he could see. It has been a long day. He rested his back on the very uncomfortable and very bumpy texture of the small caves walls, he slid down as he sighed. It was uncomfortable, but he's slept in worse.

Serana sat directly across from him on opposite ends of the cave Vallis awkwardly avoided making eye contact with her. Vallis could sense something between himself and her, but he was to stupid and to shy to actually act on it, right now anyways. He let his hair hang back over his face as he placed his arms on his folded knees. He just needed to sleep.

Serana could sense the young man's awkwardness with her, he was a loner most of the time often helping those but rarely actually talking to them. Now she just barges in and makes him feel uncomfortable, it was a little humorous in her mind anyways.

She was the first to say something, her voice tired and fading away, she had seen a lot today, travelled across Skyrim with a man hundreds of years younger than herself.

"Hey Vallis?"

He almost jumped awake as he was actually fading himself, he made his voice sound as though he were more tired than he was. He wasn't tired in a sense, he just kind of wanted to avoid further awkward conflict. His voice unintentionally cracked a little as he responded,

"uhh...yeah Serana?" He sounded like an awkward schoolboy, he wanted to hit himself in the face so bad.

She smiled as she found his awkwardness cute and innocent, even though he could prove himself as a hero, and can be ruthless in battle, he still had a soft spot.

"I just wanted to say, I had a great time today, even though I am a vampire, it feels good to have the cold air enter my lungs again, well for the first half hour at least, then it gets kind of annoying. Anyways, I am glad that you were the one who got me out of there instead of my fathers men." She sounded so sweet.

Vallis looked up to her an saw her vampiric glowing eyes lock with his light brown ones, out of all the disgusting vampires he has seen, she still somehow retained her beauty. He didn't really know how to respond, how could he? Girls like her often avoided him, and when he did muster up courage to say or do anything, he screwed up. For a legend, a fable of Skyrim, Vallis was a bit of a wimp when it came to talking to girls, always has been.

He took a deep breath and thought to himself for a moment,

'ugh...alright, she is taking interest in me, I've done this before, come one, but that was when I was a teenager! Damn it!'

As Vallis contemplated within himself, he failed to realize a change in his surroundings, the entire area of the small cave was turning into a small blue hue. All colour was virtually wiped, and Serana sat still, no sound, no movement, she along with the rest of the world around Vallis was frozen in time.

When Vallis finally came up with what he thought was a descent response, he looked up only to see what had just transpired around him. His voice a panic now,

"Serana?!"

He grabbed Nahkriin but his hands phased right through the now blue covered mask, it was frozen along with the rest of time. He used the wall as balance to quickly get up in a panic. His head going everywhere, why was this happening? Who was doing this.

A burst of a light blue light entered the room and filled Vallis' eyes with unhindered blindness, just what was going on? The Dragonborn had to cover his eyes as a portal of sorts began to develop in the cave, someone was walking out.

The being could only be described as someone walking out of Oblivion, Vallis thought it was daedra of some sort, but he found himself unable to attack or even do much, all he could do was watch the being step out.

It's armour black and heavy, and full of many sharp edges, it's helmet had blue glowing eyes that would every so often change colour, the helmet also resembled that of a dragon in some way.

It's voice was that of a legion of many, all spoke in unison at once. It lifted it's fingers and pointed at Vallis,

"You there, do you love this woman?" His other hand pointing at the frozen Serana.

"Uhh?! What?! Who or what are you?! No I don't love her! I just met her!" Vallis to say the least was confused.

"Behold"

The beings arms lit up and Vallis' mind was filled with memories. Memories of feelings he hasn't even felt yet towards Serana, feelings from the future. He had memories fill his mind of times the two spent time together, laughing, teasing, they all filled his mind. He felt as though nothing was important to him then Serana was. As soon as the visions stopped, Vallis dropped to his knees.

"B...By the Gods, Serana...I do lover her! I always have!" Vallis didn't care who this was, he looked at Serana and was glad to see she was with him.

"Vallis, tomorrow you will be faced with a choice, a choice that has a huge force on the impact of how time and space unfolds itself, two paths will be held in front of you, I will show you the result of one of them." His hand emitted light once more.

Vallis' mind was filled with a very unpleasant memory of Serana, the woman lied in a pile of her own blood and Vallis held her face. She was crying, Vallis could feel as if he were re-living this, as if he could remember something he forgot. She kissed his hand and she turned to ash in his very hands, she died as he held her there. Soon after, Vallis himself began to feel emotions of utter grief and sadness fill his mind. The memory stopped and Vallis fell over crying, as if it were a real unpleasant experience. To think a woman he was awkward to face not five minutes ago, now his heart ached for her.

"No!...Serana! Why! WHY!" His eyes watering and his voice displaying his emotions.

The being spoke, "will you do anything to prevent this from stopping?"

Vallis' arched his now drenched face up and nodded in a slow and very certain fashion. His voice almost a sludge of tears and grief. Vallis was sad at an experience he hasn't even faced yet.

"I...I Will, I will do anything to save her."

"Good, come tomorrow, you will say yes, and no matter what, you will not say otherwise, understood?"

Vallis got on his knees and wiped off some tears, he nodded. The being lifted up it's armour clad black hand and a flash of light erupted.

Vallis found himself, sitting back where he was earlier, time had unfrozen and he had no memory of what just transpired, all memories of Serana were gone, the traveler was as well.

Vallis just looked at Serana awkwardly like before, he was still thinking of what to say to her.

The traveler watched him from another realm, he told himself as he watched the Dragonborn,

"you see Vallis, I can easily give you memories as well as remove them, come tomorrow, I know you will make the right choice and say yes to Harkon, you'll have to."

The Next Day, Castle Volkihar

Vallis stood face to face with a vampire lord known as Harkon, Serana's father, he offered him a choice, join the vampires, or be banished.

Vallis stood in an utter nervous fit, he practically had to yell at his brain to not make him run. If he didn't have his mask on, everyone could see the look of fear and shock on his face, it made no difference really, they were all vampires, they could smell it. Sweat dripped down his face in buckets, his heart racing.

But he looked over and saw the smile of Serana, somehow in the past night he has felt a deep sense of connection to her, he couldn't explain it, but it was like magic. He wanted to always be with her.

His vocal cords wanted to force the words "I refuse" out, but he found no will to do so. It was so odd, as if a strange form of deja vu had overcome him. Every time he looked at Serana, his heart ached, something in his mind was making him feel like the only way to go was with her. He didn't like vampires, but each time he pushed away, a feeling of pain and grief entered him, as if he said no, something bad was going to happen, his body was not giving him a choice in these matters. As if someone else were controlling it.

His eyes shot open, was this the right thing to do? His lips and tongue both moved with the rhythm of the phrase. His eyes now locked with the beast known as Harkon.

"I...I Accept.." He thought to himself, what have I done?

But seeing Serana made him finally feel good for once. He smiled at her under his mask and said to himself as Harkon laughed behind him.

"I did it for you..I think..."

The traveler smiled behind it's mask, it gave out a small chuckle,

"now it can officially begin."

**Authors Notes**

**So it seems the person who asked Miraak to kill Vallis, this traveler is the reason he is so bad in the first place, he made Vallis say yes, but now he wants Miraak to kill him. Who is this being? What are their true motives? Why are they doing this?**


End file.
